Overview

The Umpqua Duracell Bomb is a competition-inspired tungsten jig nymph that has earned a spot in the boxes of guides and competitors alike. It combines a heavy tungsten bead, a flashy Ice Dub body, a red wire trigger wrap and a soft CDC collar on a barbless jig hook.

It is not tied to copy one insect. The body and red rib suggest a caddis larva or mayfly nymph, the flash catches light in stained water, and the CDC collar breathes in the current like legs. The jig hook rides point up, so the fly ticks along the bottom through rocky runs without snagging as often as a standard nymph. That mix of weight, attraction and snag resistance makes it a go-to searching nymph when nothing is hatching.

Euro Specs

• Bead: tungsten. Copper on Olive and Pheasant Tail, silver on UV Black, pink on Hare's Ear.
• Bead size by hook size: #12 with 3.5mm or 4.0mm, #14 with 3.0mm or 3.5mm, #16 with 2.5mm or 3.0mm, #18 with 2.5mm. Each size option shows its bead.
• Hook: barbless jig hook, rides point up.
• Role: anchor (point) fly in the heavier beads, dropper or dry-dropper fly in 2.5mm.

How to Fish It

• Euro or tight-line nymphing: fish it as the anchor (point) fly. The heavy bead straightens your leader and gets a lighter dropper, tied 18 to 20 inches up, into the strike zone.
• Under an indicator: pair it with a smaller natural nymph and set the indicator about one and a half times the water depth.
• Dry-dropper: hang a 2.5mm version under a large foam dry in shallow riffles and pocket water.
• Where it shines: fast or deep pocket water where lighter flies get pushed off the bottom, and cloudy or stained water where the flash helps fish find it.

Choosing Color and Size

Each size is listed with its bead diameter. Choose the 3.5mm and 4.0mm beads for fast, deep runs and the 2.5mm and 3.0mm beads for shallower riffles, slower water and dry-dropper rigs.

Pheasant Tail and Hare's Ear are the natural, everyday choices. Olive covers caddis larvae and olive mayfly nymphs, and UV Black adds extra contrast in low light and off-color water.