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Firefly is a sister company of Crystal
River specialising in fly-tying materials - mainly synthetics. Many of
these products are incorporated into Crystal River
patterns e.g. fluo beads, hot tail filament, fluorescent and phosphorescent
materials - all aimed at giving 'hot spots' and 'trigger points' - giving that
small added attraction even to traditional run of the mill patterns.
A new and exciting range of highly fluorescent
Hot Head beads are now available from Firefly in not only the original
4mm, but in the new and extended range of 3mm - also the addition of rainbow
beads has gained a tremendous following in innovative fly tying techniques.
These beads offer great advantages over the original glass beads, available
from various hobby and craft shops, which would shatter on hitting a hard surface
such as a dam wall, or the ground, during casting.
The new Hot Heads expand, stretch and
flex and will thread onto almost any hook including small doubles and trebles.
"Ridiculous" I hear you say,
"how can you thread a bead onto doubles and trebles?" Easy!
- over the eye of the hook.
At present the Hot Heads come in
a range of colours - fluorescent red, orange, chartreuse, green, pink, translucent
green and yellow and in two different sizes 4mm and 3mm.
The 4mm bead has been counter sunk, which
produces a larger opening on one side - useful in many tying techniques incorporating
these beads.
Fig.1
If using a large 4mm Hot Head, whether singly or as
a group of beads, to be fixed in this position with no tailing material to be
added - thread the bead on large opening first, as now only a small wedge of
thread needs to be wrapped, providing a 'stop' to prevent the bead slipping
down the bend of the hook.
Fig. 2
However, if you are tying in a tail - reverse this procedure
and tie the tailing material in with a smooth wedge shaped wrap. Then slide
the bead back over the wedge to encompass the tail. A small drop of superglue
on the thread wraps before sliding the bead over will add to the security (as
Fig. 3)
Fig. 3
