Rainbow Warrior

All conditions attractor. Doesn't imitate anything, just sparks trout attention/curiosity.

Printed on the Ace of spades

The Rainbow Warrior is what happens when you take a small, sober midge pupa and make it as bright as you dare. A silver bead, a body of pearl flash and a thorax of rainbow dubbing add up to a fly that catches light from every angle. On a gray winter day in slightly stained water, that visibility is exactly what gets it noticed.

It occupies a useful middle ground between imitation and attraction. It is small enough to be a plausible midge or baetis pupa, so a trout does not have to suspend disbelief entirely, but bright enough to pull fish from outside the immediate feeding lane. That combination makes it a reliable trailer behind a heavier, drabber fly.

It is especially good on tailwaters and in winter, when fish are holding deep, moving little, and need a reason to open their mouths. It also tends to work best in the first hour on a run before the fish have seen it repeatedly.

What does a Rainbow Warrior imitate?

Midge and small mayfly pupae, with heavy flash.

How do you fish a Rainbow Warrior?

Trail it eighteen to twenty-four inches behind a heavier nymph, dead drifted deep. Effective in Euro-nymphing rigs as the dropper.

When should you fish a Rainbow Warrior?

Winter and early spring especially, and any time water is slightly off-color and fish need help finding the fly.

What are the quick tips for fishing it?

• First fly through a run — its edge fades as fish see it repeatedly.
• Silver bead in clear water, copper in stained.
• Pairs naturally behind a Copper John or Perdigon.

How is a Rainbow Warrior tied?

• Hook: standard nymph, #16-#22
• Bead: silver tungsten
• Tail: coq de Leon fibres
• Body: pearl Mylar tinsel
• Thorax: rainbow-colored dubbing

Dressings vary by tier and region. Treat this as the common recipe, not the only one.