Orange beads are best

My experiences with this outstanding fly

Todd Lambert

Origins: The Orange bead- headed nymph. I preface this article with a disclaimer. What I have written is my experiences pertaining to this fly pattern only. I don’t go into a debate about how it is used, whether or if it is at odds with the ‘purists’ view of fly fishing. I just like to catch fish - and this fly consistently delivers the goods from the start of the season in August right through until mid-March.

I have fished it religiously for over twenty years. It is easy to tie and if fished with confidence, it will see you heading home with a healthy creel more often than not. Fish it as a stick caddis or mayfly nymph.

If you consider yourself an average angler with reasonable casting abilities, please check out the advice written below and you can thank me later.

Where did this pattern originate?

Most current fly patterns are variants of originals and no doubt this pattern is a result of that, but my first introduction to this particular fly was in the late 1990s by a gentleman by the name of Jim Ferrier. Jim was involved with the fly fishers club of Tasmania at the time.

I distinctly remember being in awe of his day’s catch when I caught up with him as he was retrieving his boat at Jonah Bay (Arthurs Lake) around that time.

Jim is a man that strongly encourages fly fishers and is very generous in sharing information about what is working for him and what wasn’t.

I remember Jim generously cutting the fly off and gaving it to me to take home – and tie if I could. I tied many — and the rest is history.

There are other stories of where this fly originated, and like many flies they seem to often popup in a parallel universe. There is no doubt that coloured beaded flies are now very popular all around the world.

At that time Jim Ferrier gave me the fly I was living at Longford and haunted an area on Brumbys Creek known as Bonds Broadwater, in my 12-foot tinny. I fished this nymph about 1.2 metres under a Carrot fly. I tie it directly to the hook shank and use the Carrot as an indicator. Any well floating dry fly will do though as it makes it a lot easier to detect takes.

The number of fish I caught from Brumbys back then was mind blowing. They were all around three pounds in weight and the strongest fighting trout for their size that I have ever encountered.

My good friend, Allan Davey, and his wife Sue ran a local tackle store in Longford and as part of a community service for the local fishing club, they weighed and verified catches for its members for the end of year competitions. When they saw my old yellow Hilux pull up out the front, they would reach for the scales and say ‘been out to Brumbys with the orange Bead head again have we?’

How I tie them.

• This pattern is as simplistic as the method is to fish:

• Dark Brown seals fur or similar dubbing. Rough it up with Velcro - the uglier it is the better.

• Orange brass bead.

• Brown glass bead for thorax.

• Small amount of brown hackle fibres for tail.

• Green / Gold crystal flash for ribbing.

• Hook B175 Kamasan heavy traditional, (size 10

For some reason I haven’t fished that water for years, but perhaps the increased weed growth and lack of fly life has put me off. I well remember floating about and watching crop sprayers working overhead and wondering what affect they would have on the mayflies and damsels.

The fishing there is, reputedly, not as good as it was, with rapidly fluctuating water levels resulting in a distinct drop in insect life, I fear it is just a shadow of its former glory. However, after writing this article, I will make it a mission to head back there for a trip this season just to satisfy my curiosity, if nothing else.

Anyway, back to the fly…

Where and how to fish it.

These are quite a few waters that I have found the orange bead headed nymph excels at. I now fish it under a size 10 Klinkhammer dry fly pattern – again with the line tied directly to the bend. Often, I have seen fish take the dry instead of the nymph, so you are setup for a double chance.

Penstock, Lake Augusta, Arthurs Lake, Four Springs and Tooms lakes consistently give up fish to this