Fly Patterns

Humpy

DESIGNED BY: Jack Horner
HOOK: 900 BL
THREAD: Various
OVER BODY: Elk or moose
UNDER BODY: Thread, Various colors
WING: White calf (for royal humpies)
HACKLE: Ginger, brown, or grizzly
TAIL: Elk or moose

Randall Kaufmann says it all in his Tying Dry Flies, "arguably the greatest surface fly ever devised". Some people use it as a stonefly, others as a caddis, and still others use it to imitate any of a dozen emerging insects. Whatever people might think it looks like, the trout obviously consider it food. The humpy takes fish world wide; from British Columbian steelhead to New Zealand browns to Truckee River rainbows. It belongs in every flyfishers box. I always tie my humpies in the "royal" style with a split post of calf body hair as a wing. This white post keeps the fly visible against deep shadows and the tight silhouette stands out in the glare. This post must cock forward at a 45Á angle. Much more of an angle and the fly falls on its face, less of an angle and the humpy sits on its haunches. It can be a bit of a hassle to bend the post after it gets chewed, but hey, it did get chewed didnt it!