Lickety Split Jig Nymph - My #1 Confidence Fly Pattern - Fly Tying Tutorial

Whether it's a river I've fished a thousand times, or one I'm standing in for the first time, this is typically the first fly I tie on. I began creating and fishing the Lickety Split over 8 years ago. Since then I've simplified the way I tie this pattern, and it's not only quicker and easier to tie in this fashion, but I believe it fishes better than the original.
Confidence in a pattern comes with success and time on the water. I've fished this pattern all over the Western US with great success. The Lickety Split is a mayfly nymph imitation, and since most rivers throughout the world have mayfly populations this is a year-round go-to fly pattern on nearly any trout river or stream. I fish this nymph on a Euro nymphing setup, under a dry dropper, and on an indicator rig. It get's to depth quickly and grabs the attention of the fish. It is a deadly pattern that is straight forward and easy to tie. I invite you to give it a shot!
Recipe:
Hook: Umpqua XC400BL Jig 14-18
Bead: Gold Slotted Tungsten
Thread: Black Uni Thread 8/0
Tail: Coq De Leon
Rib: 4X Tippet
Wing Case: Black Holo Tinsel - Medium
Underwing: Pink Foam
Coating: Solarez - Bone Dry or Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails (Clear Polish)
The black and pink variation I tie in this video is my top producer, but I also tie it in rusty brown and yellow (PMD), along with a few other color variations.
Fun side note, the original Lickety Split was my first pattern to get picked up commercially by Rainy's flies 8 years ago :-)
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[@jackkingsborough1898]

That's a really unique fly 😊

[@GilbertRowley]

It’s simple and deadly 👍

[@abramwanner8600]

It’s great to see you back tying some awesome fly patterns! 🙏🏼👏🏼

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks man, I just checked last night and was shocked that my last fly tying video was SIX YEARS AGO... wow! That's how my KZbin channel started and at some point I drifted away... never stopped tying... just focused my video work on other projects.

[@irideaduck939]

@GilbertRowley I tied six of these two years ago, fished them several times with no success ... until this weekend in MT, it was the fly of the day getting us into several 18+ inch fish! Will be needing to tie up a few more of these!

[@phoult37]

Some really great techniques for that wingcase...giving me some ideas to try out!

[@GilbertRowley]

Awesome! I hope it turns out good for you!

[@piebald80]

So sik! I tie some that are very similar and but without the splitback-- which is next level! Stoked to try these!

[@GilbertRowley]

Awesome Pablo! I hope they fish well for you!

[@kennethsanders963]

a tip I do when using tipis is I use a lighter and heat the end of the line to make s small ball on the end and then tye it on to the bead end right where the slot is that way there's no chance of the tipis pulling out when wrapping it.

[@GilbertRowley]

Great tip, love it!

[@brianfeeney9493]

🎉 Fun Fly 🎉 🌟🎣💫

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks, It's a good one for sure!

[@nicolelewis1828]

Gilbert, thanks for this great tying video! I am going to use white foam so I can colour it up on the river! :-) Can't wait to fish this fly!

[@GilbertRowley]

What a great idea! I hope it fishes well for you!

[@nicolelewis1828]

@@GilbertRowley Thanks! :-)

[@TimJohnsonGallery]

Great fly. I’ll try her out 👍🏻👊🏻

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks Tim, you’re going to enjoy it! 😎

[@allanschreffler6247]

Nice pattern. I love split back nymphs. They are deadly. I use ice dub instead of the foam to essentially same effect.

[@GilbertRowley]

Awesome, sounds deadly!

[@schmoonkie]

I love this pattern and will tie them in black and brown as shown. Thanks for sharing! ( I did buy that eBook, which has some great pics and the material lists. )

[@GilbertRowley]

Awesome! Thanks for the support!

[@cpramberg]

Hey Gilbert, nice to see a new video from you. I was wondering if you have updated your Rawley’s Stonefly pattern since the original post. I would like to see that one again if you have changed anything up. Thanks.

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks Clint. The only thing I've changed with the Rowley Stone is that I sometimes tie it on a straight hook. Besides that I still tie and fish it the same. Thanks!

[@davelockwood3422]

Great fly and really enjoy your relaxed v/o

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@thedesertoutdoorsmen5166]

What a great looking fly man!! I’m gonna try some in olive and brown! Yellow would be okay with olive and what flash would you run the black still or what you think?

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks Josh, I hope it fishes fantastic for you! I usually try to match the flash with the color of the body (thread). For example, I use a rusty brown thread and brown holo tensile when tying the brown and yellow. If you don't have access to other colors of holo tensile just keep the body of the fly dark and use the black tensile. For example, a dark olive thread with black tensile and bright green foam is another fantastic color variation.

[@thedesertoutdoorsmen5166]

@@GilbertRowley okay cool I’ll see what I can come up with in the lab tonight!

[@aarontaylor1696]

For the wing case on the brown variation, do you go with copper holo tinsel or brown holo tinsel? You mentioned color was important on these so I figured I'd ask what wing case you've had the most success with on the brown version.

[@GilbertRowley]

Great question, I prefer brown 👍

[@willwailes9298]

That intro was far more impressive than the fly, and I really like the fly. Reminds me of a Higa's SOS. Why is it oriented with the wingcase down though? That's how I tie my SOS'es but most FlyTubers tie them case up, even on jig flies. Also, does the foam interfere with keeling or make the fly at all bouyant?

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks! The intro was fun to put together 😁 Regarding your question about the wing case on the bottom once the fly inverts in the water column. To keep it simple, once a small invertebrate like a mayfly is in the drift it can invert in all directions based on the currents. Trout are not conditioned to eat nymphs that are wing case up. For this reason I don’t really think it matters at all. The tungsten bead is so much heavier than the foam that it has no, or minuscule effect on the buoyancy. This fly sinks incredibly quickly. I hope this answers your questions. Thanks again!

[@garthmonlux4359]

Awesome fly for sure! I am wondering with thickness you use for the foam. Is it 2mm or something smaller.

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks! 2mm will work, but you'll have to cut it down pretty thin. If you can find 1mm it's even better.

[@ryantherock7664]

Hi Gilbert from the video it is difficult to determine the size of the pink foam piece you use?Any chance of giving the dims in mm's?thanks

[@GilbertRowley]

Hey Ryan, you bet. It’s super thin, 1-2mm, or however thin you can cut it. It’s a little less than half the gape of the hook in width. And after it’s tied in and as you pull it forward it will actually stretch and become even thinner. Essentially, it’s about as small and thin as you can make it without it breaking when you stretch it forward. Hope that helps!

[@ryantherock7664]

@@GilbertRowley thanks Gilbert

[@justinscobell]

A+

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks brother! I hope the fishing has been treating you well!

[@richardferrara86]

That is sweet!!!!

[@GilbertRowley]

Thanks man! It’s been a solid pattern for me for a number of years.

[@richardferrara86]

@@GilbertRowley definitely adding some of that brown color to my box for sure. That looks like a dead nuts match for our sulphers here in PA. Thank you for sharing!!

[@GilbertRowley]

@@richardferrara86 You're going to crush it with them! Thanks Rich!

[@schmoonkie]

Just tied a black one of these and will tie a bunch more. For the PMD version, what thread would you recommend using? Thanks!

[@GilbertRowley]

Awesome! Black is deadly! For the PMD I use utc 70 in Rusty Brown 👍