Overview

Designed by Umpqua signature tyer Lance Egan, the Rainbow Warrior gets a tungsten bead in this version so it sinks fast. Umpqua describes it as a small midge that packs a big punch and a great attractor in small sizes, and guides lean on it through spring, summer and fall.

It does not copy one insect. The slim, shiny body and mayfly-style profile land somewhere between a small mayfly nymph, a midge and the bright scud and sowbug patterns trout key on in tailwaters. The flash catches light and gets noticed, while the small size keeps it believable to picky fish. In the smaller sizes it fishes like a midge; in the larger sizes it reads as a mayfly nymph or scud. That range is why it earns a spot as a go-to dropper on technical water.

Euro Specs

• Hook: Standard nymph hook (not a jig hook).
• Role: Dropper fly behind a heavier point fly, or under a dry fly.

How to Fish It

• Double nymph rig: fish it under an indicator as the trailing fly, 14 to 18 inches behind a larger or heavier nymph on 5X or 6X fluorocarbon.
• Dry-dropper: hang it under a hopper or foam dry in shallow riffles and along grassy banks.
• Euro or tight-line: run it as the upper dropper with a heavier anchor fly on the point.
• Where it shines: tailwaters and spring creeks with small bugs and pressured fish, from spring through fall.

Choosing Color and Size

Black gives a darker, natural silhouette that reads as a midge or small mayfly. Pink and Purple lean toward attractor territory and are worth trying in tailwaters where trout see a lot of scud and sowbug colors, or when a natural fly is getting ignored.

Size 16 works as a mayfly nymph or scud imitation and carries the most weight. Go to 18 or 20 when trout are eating midges and small Baetis, especially in clear, slow water.