Fly Tying
How to Tie The Rainbow Warrior Fly
A Beginner’s Guide: Seven Ways to Tie The Rainbow Warrior Fly Pattern.
The Rainbow Warrior is a work-horse pattern out here in Colorado — designed by Lance Egan of Salt Lake City, Utah, it is an effective nymph attractor pattern.
Originally, Lance tied the Rainbow Warrior on a TMC 2457 nymph/emerger hook in sizes 12–22. In recent years, a jig hook such as the Daiichi 4640 has become popular for use as the “point fly” in a European-style nymphing rig, e.g. Czech Nymphing. This type of jig hook has the advantage of the fly riding point up, thus reducing snagging on the bottom.
The Rainbow Warrior is Egan’s first commercially available fly pattern and is still a best seller. Despite its flashy looks, it works well for both selective tailwater Trout and eager freestone/pocket water fish. This pattern is easy to tie and very effective. The Warrior’s flashy body and red thread hot spot do not imitate any specific food form, but this is a good thing. Fish can mistake it for many food forms. I find it works well in waterways with sow bugs, scuds, midge pupae, and even as a chironomid imitation in lakes.
#1 — Taste the Rainbow Warrior Soft Hackle Nymph
Pattern Details
- Family — General Attractor
- Category — Beadhead Nymph
- Lifecycle Stage — Nymph
- Style —Attractor
- Best for Seasons — All Year
- Best Time of Day — All Day
Ingredients
- Hook: Firehole Sticks 315, size 12–16
- Bead: Round Tungsten Bead — Silver, sizes 3.5–3mm
- Thread: Semperfli Waxed Thread Fl. Pink, 12/0
- Tail: Spanish Coq De Leon — Pardo
- Body: Semperfli Iridescent, Rainbow. Covered with a thin coat of Solarez Bone-Dry UV-Resin
- Collar: Hareline Strung Peacock Herl
- Hackle: Hareline #1 Hungarian Partridge Skin
Steps
- Secure the bead on the hook.
- Wrap the thread down the entire body, attach the tail halfway down the hook, and return the thread to the bead. Finish with a whip stitch.
- Mount the bobbin and wrap the Iridescent Rainbow tinsel down the entire body in tight, even wraps. Return to the bead with open ribbing wraps, tie down the tinsel, and snip off the excess.
- Cover the body with a thin coat of UV resin and cure it with a UV light.
- Tie down the peacock herl at the bead, wrap a collar less than halfway down the body, tie it down, and snip off the excess.
- Attach the hackle behind the bead and wrap it 1–3 times, depending on the desired thickness of the hackle.
- Finish with a whip stitch behind the hackle and your favorite head cement.
Pattern Variations
#2 — The Spanish Bomb Rainbow Warrior
#3 — The Rainbow Warrior Perdigon Jig
#4 — Taste The Rainbow, CDC Jig
#5 — The Rainbow Warrior Frenchie Jig
#6 — The Rubber-Legged Rainbow Warrior Nymph
#7 — The Rainbow Warrior Jelly-Bean Scud
Additional Resources
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