~By: Lance Dean | May 9th, 2024
 |
| Hot Spot Peacock |
W
e all have a first fly that we learned to tie. For me it was a Peacock Nymph, as I mentioned in one of the first posts I published to this blog and it can be found here. I did not realize that as of me writing this today, it would become my second most watched YouTube video. I didn’t learn to tie this from a book or a class. I learned to tie the Peacock Nymph from my Dad. I remember him sitting down and showing my brother and I how to tie the simple little pattern. I remember asking him if he actually caught fish on the simple bug. His response was an assuring yes. The simplicity and effectiveness of the Peacock Nymph is what drives it to attract fish and fly fisherman.
As I looked through my fly box a couple years ago it dawned on me that the Peacock Nymph is just an extremely overly simplified version of a Prince Nymph or maybe it’s the other way around and the Prince Nymph is an extremely over complicated Peacock Nymph?! Who knows, who cares, because both flies are deadly to trout.
What makes the Peacock Nymph such a deadly pattern, you ask? Well, in my opinion - take it for what it’s worth – she just looks fishy. What I mean by that is that the Peacock Nymph just looks like something a fish would eat. She’s buggy. She represents many types of insects that live in lakes and streams. Her dress of Peacock herl creates a reflective sheen that absorbs just enough light making her insect-like characteristics really shine.
The Peacock Nymph can and should be tied in many combinations including but not limited to, just a hook, thread and a peacock abdomen – this is how it was shown to me when my Dad showed me how to tie it. It can be tied with a bead and with or without lead wire depending on how deep you want to fish it or how fast you want it to sink. The Peacock Nymph can have a wire rib or no rib. I prefer it to have a rib for added durability.
The version of my most recent demo of the Peacock Nymph is called the Hot Spot Peacock because of the hot orange thread collar that sits directly behind the bead. She showcases a gold bead and Ultra Wire ribbing for a bit of extra bling. She is a hefty fly and she won’t tell you how much she weighs but her lead wire under body definitely makes her sink like a rock.
The Peacock Nymph is a simple tie, perfect for a beginner. It’s an excellent searching nymph or confidence pattern that belongs in your fly box. So, gather up the materials and tie up a dozen for your next trip. Hopefully the fish will be hungry. The materials to tie this pattern are on the card below, ENJOY!
FLY TYING DEMO:
Other Video: