Bodkin / Patterns

Crippled Caddis

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 1XL dry fly, 14-18
  • Thread Tan 8/0

Materials

  • Trailing shuck Amber vinyl rib medium (Zelon fibers)
  • Body Olive/tan heads (Fine dubbing)
  • Wing Natural case (Elk or deer hair, down-wing, uneven)
  • Hackle Brown hackle (2-3 turns (optional))

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and tie in a short amber Zelon shuck at the bend.
  2. Dub a slim caddis body forward to the 70% mark.
  3. Tie an elk-hair down-wing over the body but leave it splayed and half-collapsed to imitate a crippled adult that can't lift off.
  4. Optionally wind 2-3 sparse turns of brown hackle at the front.
  5. Trim the butts into a small head.
  6. Whip finish behind the eye.

Tying videos

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