Wights Copper John

Tied by J. Stockard Pro Tyer Nathan Wight

There’s a reason the Copper John has earned a permanent place in so many fly boxes: It’s not fussy, doesn’t pretend to imitate anything specific, and yet it fools trout just about everywhere they swim. Originally developed by John Barr in the early 1990s, this flashy little nymph has gone from newcomer to modern classic in just a few decades.

This variation comes from J. Stockard Pro Tyer Nathan Wight, who ties it on a jig hook using double wire wraps for a slightly heavier, more balanced version that fishes beautifully under a tight line. One of the nice things about this style is the flexibility it gives you—change up the wire colors to tone it up or down. A black and copper combo, for example, adds subtlety without losing the fly’s signature shimmer.

It’s a practical update to a fly that was already pretty practical to begin with.

Materials

Hook: Wide gape hook in Size 14. You can adjust the size of the hook and bead to suit your own preferences
Bead: 2.8 Slotted tungsten in Gold.
Thread: 30D black Gel Spun.
Tail: Brown dyed Duck wing Biots.
Body: Small and brassie-sized copper wire.
Abdomen: Peacock Black Ice Dub.
Collar: Dun-colored Hare’s Mask.

Step 1

Start by placing a tungsten bead on your favorite wide gape jig hook then secure it firmly in your vise.

Step 2

Lay down a base of thread starting behind the bead and working it back to the beginning of the bend of the hook. Nathan prefers using 30D gel spun because of its strength and its ability to lay flat on the hook shank.

Step 3

Select two Biots from a brown-dyed duck Quill. Bind them onto the hook making their length about the same as the shank of the hook. Be sure the natural curve of the Biot turns the tips outward. Return your thread to behind the bead.

Step 4

For this fly I used small and brassie sized wire. Bind the wire down on the opposite side of the hook to where you tied the tails and return your thread to behind the bead. Be sure to use good touching wraps of thread; this will help with tighter wire wraps.

Step 5

Next, wind both wires simultaneously towards the bead. Another little trick for nice tight wraps is to use your thumbnail to push the wires back against your previous wraps. When you get behind the bead, tie off both wires and either clip or twist the remaining off.

Step 6

To create the thorax, apply a small dubbing noodle of peacock black ice dub and wrap it tight to the back of the bead. You only need two to three turns of dubbing.

Step 7

For the collar, Nathan uses a dun-colored hare’s mask. Only a small pinch is needed to create a buggy, natural-looking collar. He applies the dubbing using the split thread method—a technique made easier with gel-spun thread, which can be split cleanly using a bodkin or thread-splitting tool. To do this, the bobbin is spun counterclockwise until the thread flattens out, allowing it to be split. This method is more compact than a traditional dubbing loop, saving space on the fly. Once the hare’s mask collar is applied, a drop of glue is added, followed by a whip finish to secure the tie.