Iron Lotus Fly

Tied by Umpqua Feather Merchants

Available in sizes 14, 16, 18

Sometimes, you can’t have too many nymphs in your box. We’ve all had a day on the river when it seems like fish are feeding but they’re not eating any of our nymphs. The Iron Lotus is a perfect pattern for dropping a fly down in deep water quickly and targeting fish that are feeding on the bottom. Its dark color and thin profile lend themselves to a Baetis nymph but it can also be fished as a host of other bugs. This is a fly for the avid Euro angler or tight line nymphing enthusiast but can also be used as a dropper off of a dry fly or under an indicator. Surely your nymph box has room for one more.

Features

Dark, Thin, Dense - The Iron Lotus is designed to sink quickly and spend time in the feeding zone. The fly is characterized by dark colors, dense thread wraps, and a thin profile for picky fish looking for small insects. The nymph also has a black flashback that imitates a nymph with dark wing pads ready to emerge. This particular pattern is tied by Umpqua’s signature tyer Lance Egan.

Uses

Euro and Tight Line Nymphing, Indicator Nymphing - Because of the weight and thin design of this fly, it’s a great nymph to use while tight line nymphing or Euro nymphing for trout. That being said, it also works well as a point fly on a double indicator rig or when sight nymphing. Finally, many anglers use this fly as a dropper off of a larger dry fly.

Hatch

Caddis, Callibaetis, Drake, PMD - Lance Egan designed this fly specifically to imitate Baetis but it’s an effective pattern for a lot of different hatches. Many small nymphs can be considered ‘attractor nymphs’ and represent a variety of different insects. This fly is similar. Fish this pattern when caddis nymphs are present, green drake nymphs are present, or PMD’s are in the water column.

Species

Trout - As you’ve probably gathered, this is a trout fly designed for fishing in rivers, streams, lakes, and freshwater environments. This isn’t a saltwater fly and should be used only subsurface when you’re fishing for trout.

More Info

Best for: Freshwater, Trout