Bodkin / Patterns

Hemingway Caddis

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry (TMC 100), 12-22
  • Thread Black 8/0

Materials

  • Fine copper wire rib Copper wire (one length)
  • Beaver dubbing Gray superfine dubbing (abdomen)
  • Rooster hackle Dark dun hackle (2 (palmered body + front collar))
  • Wood duck flank Barred wood duck (underwing)
  • Goose secondary quill (fixative-treated) Gray mallard quill (matched slips (overwing))

How to tie it

  1. Start thread at the 50% mark, tie in a length of fine copper wire, and wrap to the bend.
  2. Dub a slim gray beaver abdomen forward over the rear two-thirds of the shank.
  3. Tie in a dark dun hackle and palmer it back to the bend in 5-6 turns, then hold it there.
  4. Spiral the copper wire forward in 5-6 open turns to lock the palmered hackle, then helicopter off the wire.
  5. Trim the palmered hackle flush across the top of the body so the wing can lie flat.
  6. Roll a clump of barred wood-duck flank into a shank-length underwing and tie it in over the body.
  7. Cut matched left and right slips from a fixative-treated goose quill, tent them over the body, and pinch them down with soft loops pulled straight up, holding them low and tight.
  8. Wind a dark dun hackle 3-4 turns at the front for the collar, whip finish, and cement.

Tying videos

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