Bodkin / Patterns

King River Caddis

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook, 10-16
  • Thread Tan / brown 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Fur dubbing (raccoon / rabbit blend) Tan-brown dry fly dubbing (1 pinch)
  • Mottled turkey wing quill Mottled brown turkey quill (1 section for wing)
  • Dry-fly hackle Brown / ginger dry fly hackle (1-2 feathers)

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread and dub a slim, slightly tapered tan-brown body forward over the rear two-thirds of the shank.
  2. Cut a matched section from a mottled turkey wing quill, fold it into a tent, and tie it in flat down over the body as the down-wing, tips extending just past the bend. The mottled turkey is the hallmark of this caddis.
  3. Trim the wing butts and square off the trailing tips so the wing ends in a neat, blunt edge.
  4. Tie in one or two brown dry-fly hackles just ahead of the wing.
  5. Wind the hackle forward in 4-6 close turns to the eye, forming a full collar that supports the fly on the water.
  6. Whip finish a small head and cement. Treat the hackle and wing with floatant.

Tying videos

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