Fly of the Month - Hot Spot Caddis

When thinking about this year’s upcoming caddis hatches, an overwhelming amount flies come to mind. How is one suppose to choose what flies to use; or even more challenging, how is one to suppose to figure out patterns on their own that are able to get those elusive lunkers to come out of hiding.

If you are trying to create trophy taker patterns; a good idea is to incorporate time trusted materials into their construction. And what could be better than peacock herls. These iridescent herls have fooled fish from every continent and ocean around the world and for fly tiers the uses are endless. Peacock herls are generally used by fly tiers to create thick bushy bodies for flies that fish just can’t seem to resist. Not only are these herls good for bodies but they can also be used as a topping fibers on minnow patterns or as wingcase material for nymphs. Another example of these uncanny fish catching materials would have to be assorted bead heads. Metal and glass beads come in a variety of shades, shapes and colors. Their usefulness to fly tiers comes mainly in constructing the bodies of flies or acting as the head section. On the other hand these beads do not just serve a cosmetic purpose, they provide much needed weight for flies to get them drifting down on the river bottom.

The hot spot caddis pattern is a fly that was designed to imitate a caddis fly that is in its larval stage, and as you probably guessed it contains the above special materials. One of the most important features of this fly is the ease of tying. After just one initial run through of the pattern you should be able to whip these flies out in just a few minutes, which means you will have more time out on your favorite river or stream.