Overview

The Copper John is John Barr's famous nymph, and it is one of the most popular patterns in fly fishing. Barr's original has a biot tail, a wire abdomen, a peacock thorax, legs, an epoxy-coated wing case with a strip of pearl flash, and a brass bead.

The wire body and bead make it heavy, so it sinks fast and gets down to fish without much extra weight. It does not copy one insect, but it passes for many mayfly and stonefly nymphs, and the bright wire catches a trout's eye. Colored versions like these turn it into a strong attractor.

Euro Specs

• Bead: Brass, gold (Barr's original recipe uses a brass bead).
• Hook: Standard nymph hook.
• Role: Both; heavier sizes work as the point fly, smaller sizes as a dropper or under a hopper.

How to Fish It

• Hopper-dropper: hang it 18 to 30 inches under a foam hopper. Barr made this rig famous.
• Indicator nymphing: use it as the top fly to help pull a smaller nymph down.
• Pocket water: it sinks fast enough for short drifts behind rocks.
• Cloudy water: bright wire colors help fish find it in off-color water.

Choosing Color and Size

Chartreuse is a high-visibility attractor for off-color water and aggressive fish. Green is a slightly more natural tone that suggests green caddis larvae and olive nymphs.

Use 12 and 14 as point flies or in fast water, 16 as the everyday dropper, and 18 for clear water and picky fish.