Pumpkin Spice Stone

Can't go wrong with a stonefly for steelhead. This Fall-specific color scheme has taken some fish over the past few years, and of course is just a template. Black or dark brown in this same pattern works great all year too. 

MATERIALS:
(+) add to cart

Hook: Daichii 1530 sz 6 (+)
Bead: Cyclops Copper 5/32 (+)
Thread: Veevus Fl Orange 6/0 (+)
Tail & Legs: Brown Goose Biots (+)
Body: Fusion Dub Crusty Nail (+)
Collar: Orange Ice Dub (+)

--> ADD ALL TO CART <--

First step to to attach the antennae. Slide the bead onto the hook, but move it out of the way. Start a small thread base toward the front of the hook.  

Take a pair of goose biots, and splay them out from the hook eye. Keep them fairly short, about a third the total length of the hook shank.  

Whip finish and cut the thread. Slide your bead up into position, and start your thread again, forming a nice even thread base all the way down the shank.

Lay down a very small chunk of dubbing. This will help to spread the tail biots we are about to tie in.

Take a pair of biots, and ramp them off that small dubbing ball so they flare apart. Make these slightly longer than the antennae. Run your thread over the butt ends, all the way to the bead. 

Once you get to the bead, tie in a piece of copper wire. Then cover that with thread, working your way back to the base of the tail. 

Now dub in the abdomen, which should go to about the middle of the shank. Try to taper it as you go, so it is slightly thicker towards the front of the fly. 

Then take your wire, and wrap it through the dubbing evenly. Should take about 6-8 turns. 

Tie the wire off and cut it. Add another ball of dubbing so the legs will flare outward. 

Add your first set of legs, should be about the same length as the tail, maybe a little shorter. 

Then another tight clump of dubbing. Again, this is used to flare out the legs. If you skimp on this, they will lay straight back and not look as buggy. 

Add second set of legs. These should be slightly shorter than the previous set of legs. 

Repeat for third set of legs.

Fill that void behind the bead with another couple wraps of dubbing. Should end up with a nice smooth taper, building up towards the beadhead. 

Last step is the collar, which is just a couple tight wraps of Orange Ice Dub right behind the bead. Whip finish, and some super glue, done. 

The "hotspot" is important, and seems to really set this fly off. You could use Pink or even Chartreuse if you want, but Orange is generally a pretty solid choice. 

-Erich