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You can of course tie a hot head on any fly and from time to time when I am tying flies I add hot thread head to a couple of flies just to ensure that I have some options in my fly boxes.

This fly takes the hot head concept to the next step and includes a bigger than average thread head which is a significant feature of the fly.

Particularly if the water is a little discoloured I find these flies work well.

I like to use these hot head flies either as middle dropper attractor flies or as my top dropper bob fly but from time to time also fish them on the point particularly if fish are switched onto small flies.

Materials

Process

A	Wind the thread half way down the hook shank. Understanding hooks Tie in a length of .015 mm lead wire at the half way mark and take 4 or 5 wraps of the wire forward of that position. This step is optional and one that I leave out on my competition flies. Worry off the excess lead wire. Adding weight to a fly Continue winding the thread in touching turns to the bend of the hook.

B	Tie in a marabou tail about 1.5 times the length of the hook. For a size #8 hook this gives a fly 40mm in overall length. Tie in a length of wire at the bend of the hook. I use medium thickness copper wire here rather than a thinner wire because this is generally the only weight I add to the fly.

C	Mix a little dubbing in proportions that you like best. For me the mix that works for me is 75% dark brown seal fur, 15% Hends Microflash Nr 335 and 10% Hends Spectra Nr335. Build up a cigar shaped body from the bend of the hook to the 90% position. Wind the wire forward forming 4 or 5 segment on the body of the fly. Take one extra wrap of the wire behind the eye of the hook and then worry off the excess wire. Body segments on flies Swap over from the black thread to the pink Glo-brite fluorescent floss. Using a section of Velcro tease out dubbing fibres evenly around the body of the fly. This is a great alternative to Palmering a hackle down the body of many flies.

D	Tie in a hackle, by the tip at the 90% position. Woolly bugger hackles

E	Trim off the tip of the feather where it is tied in. Take just 1 or 2 turns of the feather at the 90% position. Tie the feather off and trim the butt with a blade rather than scissors.

F	Stroke the front hackle back with the fingers of your left hand and build up a neat pink Glo-brite fluorescent floss head directly behind the eye of the hook. Whip finish and varnish the head.

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