Humpy

The Humpy fly pattern is this week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly. It’s a fast water attractor pattern, which floats well and can be seen a mile away.

Some quick Internet research finds the fly was originated by Jack Horner, a Northern Sierra California fly tyer in the 1940’s. The original fly was called the Horner Deer Fly and was similar to a Tom Thumb fly from Canada. The Tom Thumb didn’t split the deer hair wings or have any hackle on the fly.

Curiously, if you search on Goofus Bug, the fly looks exactly the same. The Goofus Bug was credited to Keith Kenyon, a Montana tyer and guide. My research stated he developed the fly in 1944 for the Firehole River.

So a quick recap…the fly was called the Horner Deer Fly in California and the Goofus Bug in Montana. For some reason, the fly’s name changed to the Humpy fly in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

As with any good fly patterns, variations come along. The Humpy was no exception. The original was tied in yellow and can imitate yellow sallies and golden stones, but you can find a variety of colors including red, green, tan to name a few. Then there’s the Royal Humpy which is tied with peacock and red, the Adams Humpy in gray to imitate mayflies, and the Black Humpy for a beetle. And you guessed it…there is a Double Humpy as well!

So whether you use it as a general attractor fly pattern or for a specific hatch, find one at your local fly shop and give it a try.