Fly Archive

 

Caddis Variant:

  • Hook -- Daiichi 1310 [1X short] #14-18
  • Thread -- 8/0 tan
  • Body -- Dubbed – beaver preferred or fine synthetic [color to match natural]
  • Wing -- Deer hair – very fine and straight
  • Hackle -- Dyed Grizzly – color to match naturals wing – one size over [i.e. size #14 fly, size #12 hackle]
  1. Attach thread behind eye and wind back to over the hook barb.

  2. Dub a thin body up to about four wraps back from eye, tapering at front. Finished body length is ½ the length from the eye to the barb.

  3. Stack a small amount of deer hair for the wing. The wing needs to be sparse enough for the body to show through. The length of the wing is twice the body length.

  4. Measure and position the wing material over the top of the hook. At the thread position, four wraps back from the eye, take two loose wraps around the wing butts and pull down tightly while keeping the deer hair on top of the hook. Wrap the thread back toward the hook point with several more tight wraps, and then begin to decrease the thread pressure on the rest of the wraps stopping where the base of the wing will be. Clip the butts of the deer hair. In order to flare the wing flat over the body place your thumbnail behind the last wrap of thread at the base of the wing. Add two looser wraps of thread at this point. While putting downward pressure with your thumbnail pull down on the thread. This will flare the wing flat over the body. Put head cement on the wing butts.

  5. Tie in the hackle, shiny side forward, at the base of the wing. Wind the thread forward toward the eye stopping at a point about two wraps back from the eye. Make these wraps evenly to make a smooth base for the hackle.

  6. Wind the hackle forward with 6-9 wraps. Form a neat head, tie off and whip finish.