John Barr's Copper John sinks like a stone and triggers strikes with its metallic wire body and reflective wing case. One of the most effective fast-water nymphs of the last 30 years.
1. Bead & weight — Thread a gold brass bead onto the hook. Wrap 8–10 turns of lead wire on the front half of the shank; push the lead into the bead cavity and cover with thread.
2. Thread base — Attach black thread and build a base to the bend.
3. Tail — Tie in two brown goose biots at the bend in a V-shape.
4. Abdomen — Wrap copper wire in tight, overlapping turns from the bend to the 2/3 point to form a segmented, smooth copper abdomen. Tie off. Apply UV resin and cure.
5. Thorax — Wind 2–3 peacock herls together over the front third to form a full thorax. Tie off.
6. Wing case — Pull a piece of thin skin over the thorax and tie down behind the bead. Trim excess. Add 4 strands of holographic flashabou under the thin skin for flash.
7. Legs — Tie in a few partridge feather fibers on each side as legs.
8. Finish — Build a collar behind the bead. Whip finish and apply head cement.
