A Caddisfly for All Occasions

Are you looking for a new generic adult caddisfly? Tie this semi-realistic imitation using wing burners. The trout had better beware!

by Barry Clarke

THE KEY TO TYING A GREAT FLY IS USING THE CORRECT PROPORTIONS OF THE RIGHT MATERIALS. For this pattern, carefully select the correct cock pheasant shoulder feathers for the wings. Scrutinize the color, markings, size, and curvature of each feather. Taking your time will result in much prettier and better-balanced wings.

Pay careful attention to the proportion of the wings. They should extend one-third the length of the hook shank past the bend. Giving the wings this little extra length will help support the heaviest part of the hook and keep the fly on an even keel when it is on the surface of the water. All of this will result in a better presentation.

The dubbed body should be cigar shaped and fat. Volume is the goal. This will support and strengthen the wing. It will also create a solid foundation for the iconic tent-shaped wing. I use Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing. This material is extremely easy to dub and creates a realistic-looking body. Once brushed out, the material will trap tiny air bubbles among its long fibers and help the pattern float.

Leave enough space between the base of the wing and the hook eye to accommodate 10 to 12 wraps of hackle. A saddle hackle, with its extra-long sweet spot, works best. Before wrapping the feather, ensure that the foundation of tying thread is flat and even; if the base is uneven, the hackle fibers are less likely to splay out 90 degrees from the hook shank.

Paying special attention to material quality and proper proportions makes it easier to master more advanced tying techniques and results in better flies.

Barry Clarke amazes us with his semi-realistic fishing flies. Using just a few commonly available materials, he creates patterns few fish can refuse. Barry lives in Norway, but you can follow him at www.thefeatherbender.com

CLARKE’S CADDISFLY

Hook: Mustad R43, size 14 or 12.
Thread: Brown Sheer 14/0 or your favorite brand of extra-fine thread.
Wings: Ring-necked pheasant cock church window feather.
Body: Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing, blue-winged olive.
Legs: Ginger cul de canard.
Antennae: Two barred fibers from a mallard flank feather.
Hackle: Brown saddle hackle.
Head: Black fingernail polish.

Tutorials

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Tutorials

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 1/22

Place the hook in the vise. The author is using the Mustad R43, but you may substitute your favorite brand of long-shank dry fly hook.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 2/22

Start the thread on the hook; leave a small empty space behind the hook eye. Wrap a layer of thread on the shank, ending slightly behind the hook point.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 3/22

Select two cock ring-necked pheasant shoulder feathers from the skin. (Pheasant skins are inexpensive and available at most fly shops.) Pluck a feather from each side of the skin; this is important so the feathers have the correct curvature for each wing. Also make sure that they are similar in size and markings. Strip away all the fluffy fibers from the base of each feather.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 4/22

I am tying this fly using wing burners. If you’re serious about making trout flies, add these inexpensive and fun tools to your tying bench. Choose the size of burner that corresponds to the hook size.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 5/22

We will burn one wing at a time. First, place a pheasant feather in the burner with the stem in the middle and the base of the wing at the bottom edge of the burner. If the feather is large, trimming away some of the fibers before burning will create a sharper wing profile.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 6/22

Burn the edge of the fibers using a lighter. Be careful: If you heat the burner too much, it will deform or burn the entire wing. Brush away any carbon soot before releasing the wing from the burner.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 7/22

Flip the burner over before placing the second feather in the tool and burning the next wing.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 8/22

If you follow the steps correctly, you should have matching left and right wings that curve in opposite directions.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 9/22

I use Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing for the body of the fly. You may substitute your favorite brand of long-fibered synthetic dubbing.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 10/22

Spin a pinch of dubbing on the thread and wrap a fat, tight, cigar-shaped body on two-thirds of the hook shank.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 11/22

Brush out some of the fibers using a dubbing brush; draw the fibers backwards to create a small veil around the body.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 12/22

Load a small Petitjean Magic Tool with a single cul de canard hackle. I’ve used this tool in many previous articles, and if you search online, you’ll find many videos demonstrating how to use it.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 13/22

Split your tying thread and insert the cul de canard. Spin the thread to create a small CDC brush. Wrap the CDC on the hook to create the legs of the caddisfly; be sure to leave a good amount of space between the hook eye and the wrapped CDC.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 14/22

Start with the wing for the side of the fly closest to you. Position the wing so that it extends past the hook bend. Secure the wing with a few wraps of thread, trapping the bottom fibers to lock it in place. The wing is cocked 45 degrees over the back of the fly.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 15/22

Turn your vise so you have a bird’s-eye view of the fly. Tie on the second wing so it matches the length and angle of the first.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 16/22

Cover the bare feather stems with careful thread wraps. This gives us an even foundation for wrapping a perfect hackle collar.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 17/22

Select a nice mallard flank feather that has vivid markings.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 18/22

Strip one long fiber from each side of the flank feather; take care that they have a natural curve. Tie the fibers on so they curve out in opposite directions.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 19/22

Wrap the thread back to the base of the wing and tie on a brown cock saddle hackle so it stands 90 degrees from the hook shank. Return the tying thread back to the hook eye.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 20/22

Carefully wrap the saddle hackle forward in tight, even turns. Tie off and trim the excess hackle tip.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 21/22

Wrap a neat thread head. Whip-finish and snip the thread.

Tying Clarke's Caddisfly

Step 22/22

Here we see the Ginger Caddis from the top. You can also change the color and size of this pattern to match other caddisflies you see on your favorite waters. Note that I covered the thread head with black nail polish, but this is optional.