Pat's Rubber Legs

Fish Pat's Rubber Legs as the point (top) fly in a multi-nymph rig. Its weight anchors the rig and gets smaller trailing flies into the strike zone. Attach a lighter dropper nymph 18-24 inches below on 4X or 5X fluorocarbon tippet. This two-fly nymph rig is the bread-and-butter setup for Montana guide fishing.

Under an indicator, set the depth to 1.5-2 times the water depth and add split shot if needed to achieve a dead drift along the bottom. The fly should tick the bottom occasionally; you'll feel slight bumps through a tight-line setup. In an indicator rig, watch for any hesitation or subtle dip. Stonefly nymph takes are often slow and deliberate, not the sharp strikes you get from trout eating emergers.

Pat's Rubber Legs is also excellent for Euro-nymphing, particularly in heavier water where its weight keeps the rig in contact with the bottom. Use a French or Czech nymphing technique, leading the flies downstream with your rod tip and maintaining constant tension through a sighter. The rubber legs provide movement even in the slowest presentation, making this fly effective when others seem lifeless.

Pat's Rubber Legs was developed by Montana guide Pat McCune, who wanted a simple, durable stonefly nymph that could withstand the demands of daily guide work. The pattern's genius is its simplicity: just chenille, rubber legs, and wire weight on a hook. No fragile materials, no complicated tying steps, and it can be tied in minutes.

The pattern gained widespread popularity in the 2000s as Montana's guide industry grew and guides needed flies that were easy to tie in quantity, durable enough to survive multiple fish, and effective enough to put clients into trout consistently. Pat's Rubber Legs met all three criteria. Today, it is sold in virtually every fly shop in Montana and has become a staple of western nymph fishing. Its influence can be seen in the many rubber-legged stonefly patterns that have followed in its wake.