No photograph
nymph
Egan's Iron Lotus
- Sizes
- #14–#18
- Imitates
- baetis nymph · pmd nymph · mayfly nymph
- Origin
- Lance Egan
A sleek, fast-sinking mayfly nymph with a white-ribbed olive thread body, peacock thorax, black flashback wingcase, and a small red hot-spot collar. Built to imitate BWO and PMD nymphs.
Recipe
This is one dressing. Tie it in other colors to match the hatch in front of you.
- HookHanak 400 BL Jig — size 16 · Hanak
- BeadSlotted Tungsten — Gold 3.0mm
- ThreadUTC Ultrathread 70D — Olive · Danville
- TailCoq de Leon fibers
- BodyUTC Ultrathread 70D — Olive (thread body)
- RibDanville 140 Denier — White
- ThoraxArizona Synthetic Dubbing — Peacock
- ShellbackUTC Flashback Tinsel — Black Large
- HotspotUTC Ultrathread 70D — Red
- CoatingLoon UV Clear Flow or Solarez Bone Dry
Workbench
Variants
Swipe to see In box and Add
| Size | Bead | Body | In box | Add to box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #14 | — | — | — | — |
| #16 | — | — | — | — |
| #18 | — | — | — | — |
At the vise
Tying notes are not on file for this pattern.
Tying video
Fishing now on
Rivers whose hatch chart names this pattern this month. Names and sizes only.
Not named on this month's hatch charts.
On the water
The white ribbing is the tell — makes the fly look segmented without adding bulk. Olive is the default; tie in grey, black, and brown for species rotation.
History
The Iron Lotus gets its name — as Lance will freely admit — from the 'fabled Iron Lotus' skating move in *Blades of Glory*. His team watched the movie on repeat while tying flies leading up to a National Fly Fishing Championship, and the name stuck. The fly itself is serious business: a slick UV-coated body aids sink rate, subtle white ribbing adds segmentation, and the classic Egan touch — gold bead and red hot spot — gives just enough flash to pique interest. Lance has tested versions with black beads and no hot spot for tailwater purists. Every time, the red-and-gold original wins.