Bodkin / Patterns

Deb's Straggle Caddis

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Curved nymph (Daiichi 1760), 8 (also good in 10 or 6)
  • Thread Brown Classic waxed 12/0

Materials

  • Lead wire, .020 n/a (About 10 turns)
  • Ringneck hen pheasant body feather (or pheasant tail) Natural mottled grouse feather (A short clump for the tail plus a clump of about 15 fibres for the hackle)
  • Caddis amber nymph dub (rope) Amber dubbing (Two lengths)
  • Straggle string Golden olive gel core micro fritz (One length)
  • Diamond dub or ice dub Peacock ice dub (A pinch for the thorax)
  • UV resin (no-tack) Clear uv resin (Brushed on the head)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a base of thread over the shank so the lead has something to sit on, then wind about 10 turns of.020 lead wire and slide the wraps forward so they sit in the middle-to-front half of the shank.
  2. Tie in a very short clump of mottled hen pheasant fibres at the bend for a stub of a tail. Caddis have no real tail, so keep it stubby.
  3. Take a clump of about 15 hen pheasant fibres, turn the feather upside down so the mottled outer face points toward the hook, measure the fibres from the tie-in point to the end of the tail, and tie them in just behind the eye area with a couple of soft wraps.
  4. Pull the fibre clump around the shank so it is distributed a full 360 degrees, tighten the wraps, and snip the butts at an angle to keep the underbody smooth. Leave the hackle swept forward over the eye for now.
  5. Tie in two lengths of caddis amber nymph dub and one length of golden olive straggle string together at the front of the body area and bind them back to the tail.
  6. Twist the three strands together and wind them forward in touching turns to just short of the front, leaving room for the thorax, and tie off.
  7. Brush the body out with a small Velcro brush to make it buggy, pulling out any fibres that are too long.
  8. Spin a little peacock diamond dub onto the thread and wrap a short thorax, going slightly back over the front of the body.
  9. Sweep the hen pheasant hackle back over the body with your fingers, take thread wraps over the base to hold it swept, adjust the fibres around the shank with your thumbnail, then build a head and whip finish.
  10. Snip the thread and brush a little UV resin on the head, then cure.

Tying videos

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