Oh man, the Lady Bug fly—such a killer little pattern, especially when fish get fixated on beetles. You know how ladybugs just kinda... show up everywhere in summer? Turns out they end up on the water more than you'd think, and trout go absolutely nuts for 'em.

So here’s the deal: you’ll wanna tie this on a small hook, like size 14 to 18. I personally lean toward 16—just feels right, though I’ve seen guys crush it on 18s too. The body’s all foam, black and red, which sounds simple, but man, cutting that foam just right to get that plump little beetle shape? Takes some finesse. Not hard, exactly, just... fiddly. Once you’ve got it secured, you’ll trim it round, almost like a pill, then add those classic black dots on the wing covers. Pro tip: don’t go overboard with the dots. Two or three max, or it starts looking like some mutant ladybug.

What’s funny is, fish don’t seem to care if it’s perfect. I’ve tied some real hack jobs that still got slammed. Still water’s where this thing shines—ponds, lazy streams, places where fish have time to stare at it. Once saw a rainbow sip one off the surface like it was candy. No idea why they love it so much, but hey, I’m not arguing.

Great fly for beginners, honestly. Even if your foam work’s a little rough, it’ll fish. And there’s something weirdly satisfying about tossing a bug... that’s a bug. Full circle moment.