You ever have one of those flies that just works, even when nothing else seems to? For me, that’s the Prince Nymph. Funny thing is, it doesn’t really look like any one insect in particular—more like a stonefly, mayfly, and caddis all got together and had a weird little lovechild. And that’s exactly why trout go nuts for it.

Tying this thing is half the fun. I like a medium shank hook—short enough to keep it snappy, but with room to build. Peacock herl for the body, obviously. That iridescent sheen? Fish candy. Wrap it tight, but leave some gaps so the ribbing (I prefer copper wire) can really define those segments. Now, the biots—goose or turkey, doesn’t matter much—give it that signature V-tail and legs. Here’s where I cheat a little: angle those biots just slightly upward. Makes it wiggle like it’s alive on the drift.

Oh, and the wings? White goose biots, split wide. Some guys skip ’em, but I swear they trigger strikes when the light hits just right. And if you’re fishing deeper or faster water, slap a gold bead on there. Not just for weight—that flash turns hesitant fish into takers.
Here’s the beauty of the Prince: it’s a liar, and trout buy it every time. Dead drift it through a riffle, and it’s a mayfly nymph. Swing it near a undercut bank? Suddenly it’s a stonefly kicking toward the surface. I’ve even had smallmouth hammer it thinking it’s a hellgrammite.

Water type? Doesn’t matter. I’ve slayed with it in spring creeks, freestones, even tailwaters when the fish are being picky. Winter’s where it really shines, though. When the surface is dead and trout are glued to the bottom, drop this thing deep and hang on.

Pro tip: if you’re not getting hits, slow down. Like, really slow. Let it tick bottom

 occasionally—that’s when they’ll slam it. And if you see a flash but no hookup, add a tiny twitch. Sometimes they just need a little convincing.

Honestly, I’ve got fancier flies in my box, but the Prince? It’s the one I reach for when I need a fish. And that’s saying something.