Jiggy Soft Hackle Carrot Nymph

A Soft Hackle Wet Fly Built for the Swing and the Drift

The Jiggy Soft Hackle Carrot Nymph is a tungsten bead jigged version of the classic Carrot Nymph — a warm orange-bodied soft hackle pattern that imitates emerging caddis, mayfly nymphs, and egg-laying insects in the water column. The soft hackle collar breathes and pulses with every micro-current, giving this fly a lifelike action that rigid nymph patterns simply can't replicate. On the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, and Colorado River, trout eat this fly with confidence.

The carrot/orange body is a proven attractor color that works across a wide range of conditions — it's visible to trout in off-color water, stands out in heavy hatches, and triggers reaction strikes when fish are keyed on movement rather than exact imitation. The tungsten jig bead gets it to depth fast, and the jig hook rides point-up for fewer snags and better hookup rates whether you're dead-drifting or swinging.

Pattern Details

• Style: Jigged tungsten bead soft hackle nymph
• Color: Carrot/orange body with soft hackle collar
• Sizes available: #12, #14, #16, #18
• Bead: Tungsten jig bead — fast sink rate, rides hook point-up
• Hackle: Soft hackle collar — lifelike movement and pulse in the current
• Hook: Jig hook — reduces snags, improves hookups
• Imitates emerging caddis, mayfly nymphs, and egg-laying insects
• Effective on the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, Colorado River, and most Colorado tailwaters
• Works dead-drift or on a swing

How to Fish It

Dead-drift on a tight line or under an indicator at depth, or swing it through the current at the end of the drift to imitate an emerging insect rising through the water column — this often triggers explosive strikes. Fish the #12 or #14 in faster, deeper water during caddis hatches; drop to the #16 or #18 in slower, clearer conditions. Pairs well with a Zebra Midge or slim nymph as a dropper in a two-fly rig. Also works beautifully as a single fly swung on a soft-hackle retrieve through tailouts and slow runs.

Available in store at Glenwood Springs Outdoors, 831 Grand Ave, Glenwood Springs, CO.