Cinnamon Toast: A Minimalist Baetis Nymph with Maximum Impact

Why the Cinnamon Toast Deserves a Spot in Your Nymph Box

Kevin Compton’s Cinnamon Toast nymph is a prime example of what happens when smart material choices and minimalist design come together. On paper, it’s a simple pheasant tail-style baetis nymph—but on the water, it offers a realistic profile and natural movement that pressured trout can’t ignore.

Built around a slim turkey biot body, a contrasting peacock thorax, and a refined silhouette, the Cinnamon Toast fills a familiar niche in a smarter way. It’s a mayfly imitation that plays the same role as the pheasant tail but with just enough difference to fool selective fish.

Why Fish the Cinnamon Toast?

Let’s be honest—when most of us think “mayfly nymph,” we reach for a pheasant tail. It’s one of the most effective nymphs ever tied. But that also makes it very familiar to trout, especially in pressured systems.

That’s where the Cinnamon Toast comes in. It offers:

  • A slimmer profile that cuts through current and looks more natural

  • Olive turkey biot with subtle segmentation and two-tone hues

  • Jan Siman Peacock Dubbing for a rich, buggy thorax

  • Subtle material movement that adds lifelike realism without flash

It’s simple, quick to tie, and deadly effective in Euro nymphing or indicator rigs. It gets down fast and doesn’t give fish much to refuse.

Key Materials & Tying Notes

Hook - Standard nymph hook (barbless preferred for Euro setups)

Thread - Veevus 16/0 (brown or olive) – keeps profile thin

Bead (Optional) - Copper tungsten bead – use weighted and unweighted versions

Tail - Coq de Leon fibers – natural speckling for realism

Ribbing - Fine copper wire – reinforces and segments body

Body - Olive turkey biot – tapered and segmented, lifelike baetis look

Thorax - Jan Siman Peacock Dubbing (bronze or UV bronze) – adds contrast and texture

Pro Tip: While the original uses a brown-olive condor substitute, turkey biots are more available and offer the same effect. Avoid over-dressing the thorax—less is more with this pattern.

Customization & Variations

  • Keep variations minimalist—this pattern works because of its realism and simplicity.

  • Avoid swapping thorax dubbing too drastically; test results show Jan Siman’s UV bronze performs best.

  • If you're not using Jan Siman dubbing elsewhere, you should—it’s an excellent peacock herl substitute and quickly becoming my go-to.

Why It Belongs in Your Baetis Arsenal

The Cinnamon Toast nymph hits all the marks:

  • ✅ Slim, fast-sinking profile for Euro or indicator rigs

  • ✅ Realistic baetis silhouette with lifelike material movement

  • ✅ Easy to tie and easy to trust during baetis hatches

  • ✅ Subtle and selective—perfect for pressured trout

This fly shines in rivers with consistent mayfly activity and offers a thoughtful alternative when trout have seen one pheasant tail too many.

Final Thoughts

If you love modern, fishy, minimalist nymph patterns, Kevin Compton’s Cinnamon Toast should be on your bench and in your fly box. It’s simple to tie, deadly effective, and a refreshing twist on the pheasant tail.

Tie a few in sizes 16 to 20, and you’ll quickly see why this is one of my favorite baetis nymphs to fish anywhere in the country.