Bodkin / Patterns

Better Foam Caddis

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook, 12 to 16
  • Thread Tan 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Body Tan 2mm foam strip (1 strip)
  • Underbody Tan Super Fine dubbing (thin)
  • Wing Natural elk or deer hair (1 clump)
  • Hackle Brown rooster (1)
  • Indicator Orange or pink poly (small tuft (optional))

How to tie it

  1. Start thread mid-shank and bind a tan foam strip along the top of the hook, leaving the tag hanging off the bend.
  2. Dub a thin tan underbody forward to the 70% mark to give the foam a slight taper.
  3. Fold the foam forward over the back and bind it down at the 70% mark to form a low, buoyant caddis body; trim the rear to a short tag.
  4. Stack and measure a clump of elk hair to reach the bend and bind it as a down-wing, tips over the body.
  5. Tie in a brown hackle at the front and take three to four turns, then sweep the fibers to clear the eye.
  6. Optionally fold a short poly tuft up as a sighter, whip finish behind the eye and cement the wraps.

Tying videos

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