Bosnian Maj Nymphs - Our 'Secret' Spring Nymphs

Our 'man in Bosnia' has been 'on the tools' once again - with some more very tempting nymphs - specifically tied for success in April and early May - when our water is just that little bit cooler.

We try to plan all of our specialist fly selections at least 3 to 4 months in advance, when asked what we were planning for April, we wanted to do something a little different, so I asked him to surprise us and tie something which he would use himself, for trout in the earlier parts of the season when the rivers are still colder.

His reply was "I will tie you some secret patterns, which are the first nymphs I try on any river here in April and May" - which had me intrigued, we had no images to go on, and because I trust his judgement I said, "go for it".

The first time I saw these was when they were delivered to us on Friday - to say I was impressed is an understatement!

Check out these Bosnian bad boys ...

Our Bosnian Maj Nymph Selection contains 12 nymphs (4 different patterns, 3 of each in a size 14). 

As we've only got 40 of these Bosnian Maj Nymph Selections available, we'll get straight down to the offer:

• Buy a selection of Bosnian Maj Tungsten Nymphs today for only £24; or
• Include one of Jeff Jones's stunning hand-made Oak fly boxes for an additional £36 - bringing the total for the fly selection including one of Jeff's stunning Oak fly boxes, to only £60.

To view or buy our Bosnian Secret Nymph Selection, just click on any image or button contained within this email.

Keep reading for more info and detailed images of the nymphs - you'll be glad you did ...

I asked 'our man in Bosnia' to give me a little info about these nymph, here's what he said:

"These nymphs are tied on an AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph barbless hooks in size 14, designed for excellent hook penetration and durability. The fly is weighted with a 3.5 mm copper tungsten bead, ensuring it sinks quickly to the desired depth.

Veevus Stomach thread is used as a base for the body, providing a strong foundation and smooth surface for the segmentation. Over the thread, is wrapped Troutline Tapered Synthetic Quills (size M) to create a realistic, segmented abdomen. Four different colour of quills have been used: Light Olive, Olive, Red & Yellow. These specific quills create a variation in shade and contrast, making the fly more attractive in different water conditions.

The thorax is covered with Veevus Flat Braid in black, adding a slight sheen and additional contrast to the fly. To create a natural, lifelike appearance, the legs are made from Hare’s Mask dubbing, which gives the fly a buggy, slightly spiky profile that enhances movement in the water.

To enhance durability and add a natural 'wet look', both the body and the thorax (flat braid) are coated with Raidzap UV Resin and cured under a UV light. This not only protects the fly from wear but also gives it a slightly translucent finish, mimicking the natural sheen of natural insects.

With its realistic segmentation, natural buggy appearance, UV-coated durability, and weighted design, this nymph is perfect for targeting trout in both fast and slow-moving water. The combination of synthetic and natural materials ensures durability while maintaining an enticing, lifelike look underwater."

So what nymphs are best for tempting those early season trout?

Usually, trout look to nymphs when feeding in the early season/colder water. These nymphs have been tied to fish as deep as possible, with 3.5mm copper-coloured tungsten beads - to keep your nymph where it needs to be, on the bottom. They are all tied on the best barbless nymph hook available on the market today - the AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph - perfect for all your early season nymphs.

Our Bosnian Maj Nymph Selection contains three each of these 'Bosnian Bad Boys':

• Light Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g
• Olive Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g
• Red Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g
• Yellow Maj Nymph - Size 14 AHREX FW541 - weight 0.37g

Early season nymph fishing is more about finding the fish, so it's important to keep on the move and only pass your nymphs through a lane a couple of times - if there's a fish there they will usually take it straight away.

Top Tip: if you are fishing in coloured water, use the Red Maj nymph. Coloured water usually means that the river is running higher than usual, this nymph is designed to stand out in coloured water and trigger a more inquisitive response.

Generally, the water levels at this time of year are average to high, so he's added a 3.5mm tungsten bead to the superb AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph hook for that little bit of extra weight.

Our selection of 'secret' Maj Nymphs includes 4 different patterns, with 3 each of the following Bosnian 'Bad Boys':

These specialist early season nymphs are all tied on size 14 AHREX FW541 Curved Nymph barbless hooks.

Please Remember: We've only 40 of these selections available, so if you want a set, you will need to be quick - Our Bosnian flies always sell out within a few hours of being released!

Go on, treat yourself - you know you want to - at £24 for these selections, these will not hang around for long!

Fishing in April can be very challenging, depending on which part of the British Isles you are located. Generally, the further South and West you are the better the fishing will be at this time of year – the North and Scotland always seem to lag a couple or three weeks behind the South of the British Isles as far as hatches and river fish activity go.

• Manage your expectations – You’ve probably been waiting for the first trip of the season for a while, and if you’re anything like me, thinking of nothing else but those first few (very rusty) casts! Don’t go expecting to ‘bag up’, once the season opens the water is generally still very cold and the fish less actively feeding. River choice is a key factor at this time, if you're lucky enough to have a choice of river, it’s always best to target the smaller streams where possible, you will stand a much better chance of success. It’s also best to time your trips to when you are more likely to see active fish in front of you – between 11am and 2pm. So, now is the time to act accordingly, have a nice and leisurely breakfast - a Full English is my preferred option - at a local cafe – got to support those local businesses. Arrive at the river for around 10:30 and get set up – always keeping an eye on the water for any movement.
• Early Season Watercraft – Searching for those early season fish is where watercraft comes into play more than at any other time of the year. Watercraft is the art of looking, listening and watching the water (and the environment around you) and then decoding the signals to give you an indication of what is happening, then using tactics based on what you see. A typical example of this is seeing a Wagtail on the riverbanks, these birds are notorious for arriving on the river just before an Olive hatch starts, if you see one – tie on an Olive emerger and wait! Early Season watercraft is far too big a subject to go into detail here.

If you would like to read more there are a couple of fantastic books I would highly recommend - as we wrote them!

FLY Series: Early Season River Fishing

£9.99

FLY Series: Watercraft (How To Read Water)

£9.99

 

Finally, Even though we are forecast for some nicer weather over the next few days, don’t let any bad weather put you off, so long as the water is fishable, ignore the conditions – some of my best early-season days have been when there’s a gale blowing and it’s about to rain.

Tight lines & have a great day.