Copper John

First created by John Barr in the 1990s, the Copper John has become a favorite among trout fishermen and women. While wire of some sort remains a mainstay of its many variations, the other materials have been substituted almost as much as any other fly. Pretty much every color wire has been used for the body, and it’s not uncommon to see things like rubber legs, or different colored biots for the tails. The main formula and idea is a winner, so it’s no wonder that the pattern lends itself to so many adaptations. Regardless of what type you tie, they all are meant to mimic a mayfly nymph of some sort. Whether you fish it alone down at the river bottom, or in a hopper-copper-dropper three-fly combo, it’s a killer pattern!