submitted by Skip Nault

The rainbow warrior is a relatively easy tie. The pattern was developed by Utah’s Lance Egan. The fly works well in all sizes, but especially in small sizes to imitate midges. The rainbow warrior works particularly well in Apple Creek during the colder months when trout are feeding heavily on midge pupae. They can be fished under a strike indicator or in a dry/dropper combination using the Clown Shoe Caddis as the dry fly.

Tying materials:

hook: emerger #10-22

thread: red

bead: tungsten sized to hook

tail: pheasant tail fibers

abdomen & wing cover: medium pearl mylar

thorax: tan or rainbow scud dubbing

Tying instructions:

After placing hook with bead in vice, cover the hook with red thread. Tie in tail. Tie in tinsel behind bead and wrap tinsel back to base of tail and return thread to behind the bead. Use overlapping turns of tinsel and wrap forward to behind bead. Tie tag end of tinsel over top of fly and position to use as a wing cover. Form a thorax with dubbing and then pull tinsel over the top to form a wing cover. Tie a broad section of red thread behind bead as a hot spot and whip finish. See video to tie Rainbow Warrior.