Allen McGee is a fly fisherman, fly tier, outdoor writer, and photographer who lives in Atlanta, Georgia and specializes in tying and fishing shn’s (soft-hackled nymphs) and flymphs. His articles have appeared in Fly Fisherman magazine and he wrote the book “Soft-Hackled Nymphs” coming out in 2005. He feels that flies should not only look attractive to the fish but should behave realistically with lifelike qualities as well. This is especially important with nymphs that naturally wriggle, swim, or bounce every which way in the current. By using certain materials particularly fur or natural body materials and soft-hackle collars in nymphs and flymphs the fly is brought to life by the current when it’s in the water. These materials are often also good at trapping air bubbles against the fly, which brings sheen to the artificial. Fly design combined with presentation techniques such as the Leisenring Lift, the Flymph Mending Swing, and others make shn’s and flymphs the deadliest flies ever invented. The origin of these patterns is as old as fly fishing itself with a direct relationship to the North Country Spiders of Northern England, W.C. Stewart, T.E. Pritt, Edmunds and Lee, and G.E.M. Skues. In particular James Leisenring and Pete Hidy in their books “The Art of Tying the Wet Fly” and “The Art of Tying the Wet Fly and Fishing the Flymph”, and Hidy in his own works really modernized these flies by describing in great detail new methods to tie and fish soft-hackled nymphs and flymphs. Allen uses these flies to fish all levels of a stream, from the bottom to the top, imitating nymphs, emergers, stillborn mayflies, and even egg-laying caddis with them. He considers these types of flies the most effective, adaptable, and important he carries. If you wish to learn more about these flies pick up some literature and consider joining the fly fishing club the International Brotherhood of the Flymph.