AP Nymph Fly Tying Instructions by Charlie Craven

Fly Tying Recipe:
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Hook: #12-18 Tiemco 3761
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Thread: Gray Veevus 14/0
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Tail: Moose Hair
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Rib: Small Fine Copper Wire
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Dubbing: Muskrat
Thorax: Muskrat
Legs/Casing: Moose Hair
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[@josephinestephens9599]

Thanks to the author, great video.

[@MrSpintail]

always enjoy your video's charlie!

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

I love this style of tying!! This is going on my list of "must tie"

[@erikpeterson2505]

Hey Charlie, I fished with Puyans tied with Puyans and guided at his fly fishing school in Idaho. To set the record straight, Orvis put Andy's, "Andre Puyans Nymph" in their catalogue and renamed it the, "All Purpose Nymph". Andy didn't appreciate the snub. Some of what you are doing in this video is correct but it's not tied as Andy did. Andre was a genius tier, excellent spring creek angler and the greatest teacher the sport has ever known. His far reaching influence is not fully realized by anglers. for example, the Goddard Caddis was conceived by John Goddard, Puyans and a bottle of scotch. Few know that. I think that you guys would have shared mutual respect. I really enjoy your work and wish you well.

[@donrotsma5675]

Thanks Charlie, I learned fly tying from Andre at Creative Sports and can still hear him saying “don’t take s-t from your materials” he was a master at material handling and proportions and I think you are one of the few tiers today who are genuinely in his class. From teaching me fly tying to taking me fishing on the Henry’s Fork in the old days, I will never forget my old friend Andre. Thanks for the memory?

[@seanfalconer7182]

"Yunk man!" lol

[@jaynesjunction]

Great video - I've tied for 30 years and never knew the name behind the AP flies... appreciate you giving credit where credit is due. Thanks for the grease tip - typically fish flies for the purpose I made them, but this adds another dynamic.

[@zhuanjifarms5050]

Awesome pick for a general nymph Charlie! This fly brings back memories of my first experiences with fly tying. I was lucky enough to learn my first few flies sitting across the table from the master you speak of at Creative Sports in Pleasant Hill, CA...back in the day, circa 1995. Funny, over the years AP has come to mean "all purpose" but back then it was marketed as the "Andre Puyans" Series. Those horribly tied AP's were the first flies I fooled trout on in Boulder Creek when I moved here in '99. Good stuff, Root out.

[@hirkojs]

Sweet looking fly Charlie. I really love seeing how to tie old school patterns. Mega Thx.

[@hankvana2149]

Yup, that is what I was taught decades ago... moose hair and muskrat tied as you show on a dry fly hook and dressed with floatant and fished in the meniscus using a bi-visable as an indicator. Deadly pattern, didn't know it had a name 😀 Thanks for posting!

[@GeorgeSemel]

I have these in my fly box. I have been tying these since Andy wrote about it in Fly Fisherman sometime around 1983, I am old know so I don't remember the exact date. I picked up some little tips here to tie a better cleaner fly that is always good. You are right about Andy he was one of the greats when it comes to fly tying, thou we got a lot of good ones around today some are even on youtube. Hare's Ear dyed Olive is a particular favorite of mine.

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Hello Charlie! Great nymph pattern! I will definitely tie it! All the best.

[@lonewizzard8456]

Huge win for the tie and pattern. Much respect to Andre Puyans.

[@martincleary9093]

That fly in black is Money. I took a Tying class from AP. He was a character. “A nymph without lead is like lovin’ without kiss’n”

[@vernlund3564]

Old school COOL, still a killer fly, well done as always.

[@muskiedave7197]

Great old classic pattern.Thanks.

[@HondoTrailside]

When I do a dubbed head like that I will usually throw it on as a whip finish. If one does a hand finish, it can go on with the fuzz, and even the glue if one prefers. I think KZbin kinda pushes mechanical whip finishers, because, while I prefer a hand finish, it looks terrible on YT with the hands blocking the view. On thing I also notice is all the tiers who throw on 2 mechanical finishes, "just in case".

[@danielfonseca2558]

Nice tie ..

[@seanfalconer7182]

I was taught how to tie this pattern by none other than Andre "Andy" Puyans himself. God rest his soul 🙏

[@cachi-7878]

Charlie, how the heck did you position the camera in almost the exact position it was, before you changed the batteries? That was incredible!

[@chrisbukowski9434]

Nice 👍

[@underourwatch8370]

Can you use deer hair as a substitute?

[@tinoyb9294]

Nothing wrong with "old school", Charlie. Teach the newbies some fly fishing history. How many fly fishers under 30 even know who Andre Puyans was or use moose mane in their flies?

[@ruebdogg1]

Charlie, which moose body hair did you use - natural dark or bleeched? Thanks

[@CharliesFlyBox]

This was a piece of natural that was a bit lighter in color. Likely from a shoulder. I think either bleached or natural would work nicely.

[@conorlinehan4434]

That would wreck as a tailing dry fly in Cheeseman canyon

[@creagan2003]

While I appreciate tying the classic flies this is not the way Andy tied them.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

Do tell!

[@creagan2003]

See the KZbin link above

[@CharliesFlyBox]

@@creagan2003 I don't see a link but I found the Jack Dennis video you talked about in your email. Andy did indeed tie it a bit differently (in a size TEN), but I think the premise is the same. And honestly, that video is terrible, but you already know that! LOL