Fire bead, hot bead, hot head, orange bead, or whatever you want to call a pattern that is tied with a bright orange metallic thing at the head. Rumors of their success quietly circle their way around the shop, nobody really admits they are working. It’s like there is a secret, but everybody knows it. You just hear things like, “Do you ever throw that fire bead stuff?” Then you occasionally see a few slipping out in the bottom of a cup with some other nymphs.

They are very popular in the spring and then again start to pick up in the fall. Why do the fish eat the fire bead? We have no idea. Next time a fish eats one we will try and ask them what the appeal is. There are a few theories out there. Some say it’s because they look different than any other fly. It could be that the bead looks like an egg and they take it for an egg pattern. We have a few patterns tied up for a little test. Some with the orange bead, a few with a regular gold bead. We will see if the bead color really makes a difference. Stay tuned for the results…