July is a difficult time on many of our small waters but this fly, used in conjunction with a sunk line, along with a fairly brisk figure-of-eight retrieve, can often save the day. A floating line and long leader can also be an effective combination with this pattern; quick, jerky pulls will give the fly plenty of movement.
Fish this pattern on its own for best results. The bright colours, along with the weighted head, certainly offer some trigger points for the trout.

Hook: Standard wet, size 10
Thread: Fire orange
Bead: 3mm red bead
Tail: Sunburst orange marabou
Body: Fire Fox Peacock Lite-Brite
Rib: Medium copper wire
Hackle: Olive grizzle

How To Tie The Fly

1. Thread the 3mm red bead onto the hook before securing the hook in the vice.	2. Run on the fire orange tying thread, forming a nice, neat base of tying thread.	3. Strip some marabou from the main feather and tie it in, so that the butts cover the length of the shank. This forms an even body.
4. Place one end of the copper wire into the gap between the bead and the hook shank. Secure with thread and wind back down to the bend of the hook.	5. Form a neat and even dubbing rope with the Lite-Brite and wind up the body in touching turns, finishing just behind the bead.	6. Strip the waste from the butt of the hackle and secure the stripped stalk to the hook shank, just behind the bead.
7. Wind the hackle in close turns down the body, stopping at the tail. With one turn of the copper wire, secure the hackle tip. A quick tug on the feather tip should snap it at the ribbing material. If in doubt, cut the feather tip with scissors.	8. Wind the rib in open turns back up through the palmered hackle. Secure and trim the excess wire before whip finishing.	9. With thumb and forefinger, stroke the palmered hackle backwards a few times before adding a touch of varnish to the thread.

Total Fly Fisher