Skip to content
The Woolly Gentleman logo

The Woolly Gentleman

Every Fly Has a River · Every River Has a Tier

ShopSubscribeOur TiersJournalFind Your FliesThe CraftThe Story
Home/Shop/Copper John
Copper JohnNymphbeginner

Rocky Mountain West

Copper John

$3.50

Available Sizes#12 - #20
Color Variations
CopperRedChartreuseBlack

John Barr created this nymph in Colorado, and it has been outfishing local knowledge ever since. The copper wire body flashes in the current like a tiny disco ball for trout. Tungsten bead gets it to the bottom where the trout actually live, as opposed to the surface where your ego wants to fish.

Meet the Tier

Satoshi Yamamoto

Lefty Angler & Flies

Livingston, MT

A published author and pro staff tier for Regal Vise and Whiting Farms, Satoshi approaches fly tying with scientific precision. His spring creek close imitations are works of technical art.

Pro staff Regal Vise & Whiting Farms, published author, BFFI presenter
Meet All Our Tiers

Quick Facts

TypeNymph
Difficultybeginner
SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Target SpeciesRainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Mountain Whitefish
Sizes#12 - #20
Best LocationsSouth Platte River, CO; Frying Pan River, CO; Big Horn River, MT

Where to Fish It

South Platte River

CO · Tailwater

Frying Pan River

CO · Tailwater

Big Horn River

MT · Tailwater

Map unavailable. Locations for Copper John: South Platte River, CO; Frying Pan River, CO; Big Horn River, MT

Related Reading

region guide

Rocky Mountain Trout: A River-by-River Guide

The Rocky Mountain West holds the finest trout rivers in North America. From the gin-clear tailwaters of Colorado to the sweeping freestone rivers of Montana, these waters offer everything from technical dry fly fishing to aggressive streamer hunting. This is your river-by-river guide to all of it.

species science

How Trout See Your Fly: The Science of Color and Light

Trout don't see the world the way we do. They perceive ultraviolet light, detect motion through contrast rather than color, and see a dramatically different fly at ten feet of depth than at two. Once you understand their four-cone visual system, you'll never choose a fly the same way again.

hatch guide

Stoneflies: When Big Bugs Bring Big Fish

Stonefly hatches produce the most explosive dry-fly fishing of the season. From the legendary salmonfly emergence on western rivers to golden stones across the Pacific Northwest, these big bugs bring the biggest trout to the surface. Consider this your field guide to fishing Plecoptera — the clean-water giants that make twenty-inch trout eat flies the size of your thumb.

technique

Reading Water: Finding Fish by Reading Structure

Every river tells you where the fish are, if you know how to listen. Reading water is the fundamental skill that separates productive anglers from persistent ones. The ability to look at a stretch of river and identify the handful of spots that hold fish — and dismiss the vast majority that don't — is worth more than a lifetime of fly pattern knowledge.

technique

Fly Selection: A Decision Tree for Every Situation

Most anglers open their fly box and stare at it like a menu in a foreign language. But fly selection isn't mystical — it's a decision tree. Start with what the fish are eating, narrow by presentation depth, match the profile and size, and you'll arrive at the right fly in under sixty seconds. Here's the system.

technique

Barometric Pressure and Fishing: Fact vs. Fiction

Every angler has heard it: 'The barometer's falling — the fish are gonna feed.' But how much of barometric pressure lore is actual science, and how much is confirmation bias wrapped in a fishing vest? The answer is more nuanced than either camp wants to admit.

technique

Reading Stream Gauges: Flow Data for Better Fishing

Every major trout and steelhead river in America has a USGS gauge station publishing real-time flow and temperature data for free. Learning to read it is like having a scout on the river around the clock. Here's how to turn CFS numbers and trend lines into fish-catching intelligence.

technique

Nymph or Dry? The Decision That Changes Everything

Ninety percent of a trout's diet is consumed subsurface. Yet ninety percent of the magazine covers show a dry fly floating on calm water. The decision between nymphing and dry-fly fishing isn't about preference — it's about reading the situation and making the choice that puts your fly where the fish are actually feeding.

technique

Catch and Release: The Science of Fish Survival

We release fish and feel good about it. But does the fish survive? The science is both encouraging and sobering. Catch-and-release mortality varies from nearly zero to over forty percent depending on species, water temperature, fight duration, handling, and a handful of other factors entirely within the angler's control. Here's what the research says and how to maximize survival.

You Might Also Like

Pheasant Tail NymphNymphbeginner

Pheasant Tail Nymph

$2.95

Rocky Mountain West

#14 - #20

Frank Sawyer's original, perfected by American tiers. Pheasant tail fiber body, copper wire rib. The most important nymph ever tied.

NaturalFlashbackOlive

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →
Hare's Ear NymphNymphbeginner

Hare's Ear Nymph

$2.95

Rocky Mountain West

#10 - #20

Dubbed hare's ear fur body with a gold rib. Buggy profile suggests mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies simultaneously.

Natural Hare's EarDarkOlive

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Brook Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →
Pat's Rubber LegsNymphbeginner

Pat's Rubber Legs

$3.95

Rocky Mountain West

#4 - #10

Oversized stonefly nymph with rubber legs. Tungsten weighted. Gets to the bottom fast and stays there.

Brown/BlackOlive/BrownGolden

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Cutthroat Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →
San Juan WormNymphbeginner

San Juan Worm

$2.95

Rocky Mountain West

#8 - #14

Simple chenille worm pattern named for the San Juan River. Red, brown, or pink. The fly that purists love to hate and fish love to eat.

RedBrownPinkWine

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →
Lightning BugNymphbeginner

Lightning Bug

$3.50

Rocky Mountain West

#12 - #18

Flashy attractor nymph with a tinsel body and bead head. A brighter alternative to the Pheasant Tail for off-color water.

Silver/PearlGoldCopper

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →
Zebra MidgeNymphbeginner

Zebra Midge

$2.95

Rocky Mountain West

#16 - #24

Thread body with wire rib and a bead head. The essential winter tailwater pattern. Simple, small, and devastatingly effective.

Black/SilverRed/SilverOlive/CopperBrown/Gold

Rainbow Trout · Brown Trout · Mountain Whitefish

SprSumFallWin
View Details →

The Woolly Gentleman

Every Fly Has a River · Every River Has a Tier

America's curated artisan fly marketplace. Every pattern hand-tied by the people who fish these waters.

Join the mailing list. We will tell you what is hatching.

The Shop

  • Browse All Flies
  • Our Tiers
  • Find Your Flies
  • The Collection
  • Monthly Delivery
  • The Journal

Fishing Regions

  • Gulf Coast & Emerald Coast
  • Florida Keys
  • Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
  • Rocky Mountain West
  • Pacific Northwest
  • All 10 Regions

The Gentleman

  • Our Story
  • Nationwide
  • hello@thewoolygentleman.com

© 2026 The Woolly Gentleman. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy|Terms & Conditions

Curated with conviction. Tied with pride.