Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2014 - 40

Flies
on
Fire :

Sparking "Hot Spots"
Into Your
Pheasant Tail Nymph materials
Tying Patterns
Hook: #12-18 nymph hook
Head: Tungsten bead head and/or wire lead
(optional for weight)
Thread: UNI 6/0 hot red, fire orange or chartreuse
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Rib: Copper wire
Abdomen: Pheasant tail fibers
Thorax: UV Ice Dubbing (brightly colored)

by Christian Shane
photos by the author

Thick November clouds blanketed the sky over the Erie
tributaries. Then, the rain and sleet poured down on us.
After a good morning of steelhead fishing, the stream
quickly muddied up, shutting the fishing down for everyone.
My fishing buddies and I decided to fish out the storm a little
longer. After a few unsuccessful attempts with other patterns,
I tied on a #14 Rubber Leg Copper John with a fire orange
bead head. On my second cast, the steelhead bite was on
again. Luckily, I had a few more flies in my fly box to share
with my fishing comrades as they experimented with all
shades of fluorescent in the murky water. When we started
using flies with color contrast and variation, what began
as a good day of fishing turned into a great day of fishing.
More times than not, I find these "hot spots" tied into my fly
patterns can really trigger strikes.
If you glance in your fly box, you may already have some
of these hot spot or trigger patterns including Egg Sucking
Leeches (fluorescent egg head), Prince Nymphs (white wing
case), Woolly Worms (red wool tails) or Blood Dots (egg
yolks). Aspects of these flies either mimic the natural or
peak a trout's curiosity. Perhaps one of my favorites, with a
landmark midsection of red floss, is the Royal Coachman,
a century-old hot spot fly pattern. More purposeful hot
spots in fly patterns around the globe provide a contrasting
color or hue such as the Czech Nymphs (abdomen dubbing

40

contrast), Euro Nymphs (collar thread wraps), Atlantic
Salmon Flies (fluorescent tags) or Hot Spot Pheasant Tails
and Pheasant Tail Nymphs (brightly dubbed thoraxes).
Generally, when tying in hot spots, less is more. One of
my tying buddies, Charles Cantella, suggests that hot spots
should resemble a spark rather than an inferno. Instead of
turning the entire fly into a hot spot, focus on accentuating
a certain aspect of the hook shank or fly design. This
accentuation can be pronounced or subtle, depending on
your water conditions and the fish response.

Colors

It may be that the term "hot spots" originates from the
warm colors that the flies are associated with and available
in to tiers such as hot reds, burnt oranges, yellows and even
fluorescent greens. Why are trout attracted to these warm
flavors of color?
Red is always associated with injury or blood. So,
predatory piscivores will attack this weakness. Orange
displays the color of eggs, especially Brook Trout and salmon
eggs. Yellow can represent an infection, pregnancy or young
emergence in the insect. Lime green and chartreuse are
associated with caddis imitations.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2014

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2014

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