Umpqua Rainbow Warrior CDC Tungsten Nymph Fly

Overview

Designed by Umpqua signature tyer Lance Egan, the Rainbow Warrior CDC Tungsten is his own update to the Rainbow Warrior. Egan describes the CDC version as more "buggy," with more movement than the original.

The original Rainbow Warrior has caught trout on tailwaters, freestone rivers and stillwaters, and this version keeps its color scheme while adding a soft CDC collar that breathes in the current like legs. The tungsten bead gets the fly down quickly even in these small sizes. It sits right between an attractor and an imitation: flashy enough to get noticed, small enough to pass as a midge or tiny mayfly nymph.

Euro Specs

• Role: Dropper fly behind a heavier anchor, or the trailing fly under a dry or indicator.

How to Fish It

• Double nymph rig: trail it 12 to 18 inches behind a larger nymph or worm under an indicator on 6X.
• Euro or tight-line: run it on the dropper tag above a heavier point fly.
• Dry-dropper: hang it under a small foam dry in shallow riffles.
• Where it shines: tailwaters and spring creeks with small midges and Baetis, and pressured fish that ignore bigger flies.

Choosing Color and Size

This listing is the Rainbow color, the original Rainbow Warrior look. Size 20 is a good all-around midge and small Baetis size. Size 22 is for the tiniest bugs and the most selective fish in clear, slow water.