Bead Head Black Spider (Soft Hackle)

The Bead Head Black Spider is a classic wet fly with serious attitude. This soft hackle pattern features an iridescent blue-purple dubbed body with copper ribbing, a gold tungsten bead, and long flowing black hen or starling hackle fibers that pulse and breathe with every micro-movement in the current. Few flies look more alive in the water than the Bead Head Black Spider.

When to Use:

Best Time of Year: Spring through fall, with peak effectiveness during caddis and midge hatches. Exceptionally productive during the swing season for steelhead and salmon from August through October in BC rivers.

Imitates: Drowned adult insects, emerging caddis pupae, and soft-bodied aquatic invertebrates. The iridescent body mimics the gas bubble that emerging insects carry to the surface.

Target Fish: Rainbow and brown trout across BC and Ontario rivers. A go-to swing fly for steelhead on interior BC rivers like the Thompson and Similkameen. Also effective for coho salmon and sea-run cutthroat near tidal zones. In Ontario, works well swung through current seams for stream browns and brook trout.

Pro Tip: Fish it on the swing across and downstream, letting the current animate the hackle. As it completes the swing and hangs below you, give it a few short strips before re-casting. Most strikes come at the moment of the swing's completion.