classic Michigan nymph · date unknown
Spring's Wiggler
Also called Spring Wiggler, Michigan Wiggler, Leelanau Wiggler
Likely origin Several secondary sources agree on Ron Spring and Michigan, two of them on Muskegon, but none are primary and none give a date.
History
The Spring's Wiggler is an old Michigan steelhead fly credited to Ron Spring, said to have kept a sports shop in Muskegon. It is a simple palmered chenille body under a squirrel-tail shellback whose tips form the tail, and anglers have read it as a Hex nymph, stonefly or hellgrammite.
No dated account of its origin was found. Several shops and clubs carry it under other names, including Michigan Wiggler and Leelanau Wiggler, and smaller versions are used for trout and panfish.
Materials
| Hook | Curved nymph (TMC 200R), sizes 4 to 10 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Black or brown |
| Eyes | Optional black mono or bead chain |
| Tail and shellback | Fox or gray squirrel tail, butts pulled forward over the back |
| Body | Yellow chenille (or sparkle yarn) |
| Hackle | Brown saddle, palmered and often trimmed |
Sources
- Lilly, D. "Nomad Angler Presents: Fly of the Month." Coastal Angler Magazine, October 26, 2017.
- "Spring Wiggler." Indigo Guide Service.
- "Paul's March 2019 Fly of the Month." Tight Lines Fly Fishing, February 22, 2019.
- "Spring's Wiggler Revisited." Millers River Fly Fishing Forum, January 27, 2019.
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No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.