Ken Morrish's Level Headed Damsel

"I have always seen the damsel fly nymph as one of the harder insects to imitate. First, anglers must let go of the concept or illusion that they can imitate their swimming motion, as that is essentially impossible. They simply wiggle laterally way too much for any material or retrieve to even get in the ballpark. Yet most existing patterns cling to the marabou tail, and thus design-fail twice, as marabou tails don't move as desired, and they do a very poor job a mimicking the the damsel fly nymph's distinctive slender profile. So, since the motion is essentially impossible to mimic, the Morrish Level Headed Damsel doubles down on the elements that can be imitated. First is the thin, elegant profile including the distinct fanned-out triple tail. Also important are the long slender legs and the large dark eyes. Finally is creating a truly balanced fly that sit slightly head-up in a horizontal plane. This fly took 15 design iterations to get right, and while it can be cast and retrieved, it is at its most deadly when suspended under a dry or indicator in modest chop. - Ken Morrish