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September 2000by Rich Johnson
Steelhead Caddis - Modified
Notes: Not much of Alaskan steelheading is done with
waking flies, but they
have been around for a while and deserve to be in your arsenal of
patterns.
Besides sometimes this style fly works really well on large rainbow in the
fall. This version of the Steelhead caddis is slightly different than the
pattern of the same name I found in the American Fly Tying Manual (1986)
by
Dave Hughes. I will list the original materials within the tying text.
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Hook: UTE Salmon (Light wire)
Thread: Danville Plus, white
Body: Orange, Yarn or dubbing
Wing: Duck Quill slips, white
Hackle: Deer or Elk hair, light
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1) This is a waking fly, designed to be fished in the surface film. As such
try to use a light wire hook such as a Timeco 7989 (I'm using a #8), Mustad
90240, or Partridge 01 Wilson Dry Fly Salmon hook. Use the thread to close
the eye loop and take the thread back to above the hook point.
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2) Tie in orange yarn and bring it forward creating a taper. Or, dub a
tapered orange body. The original calls for dubbed rabbit fur (hare ear?)
and shows a fat body without a taper.
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3) The wings are quill sections. This fly calls for white, the original
calls for turkey. The duck quills that I'm using often come as pointers (the
farthest out wing feathers) as opposed to turkey, which is most often
available as secondary flight feathers (between the pointers and the body).
What is most important is that the wing quills are a matched set, that is a
right and a left of the same size and shape. If possible, from the same
bird.
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4) Cut a slip from each feather. The slips should be the same width. Notice
that these feathers (pointers) have a very strong curvature. You need to
decide if you want the curvature outward (creating motion in the water) or
inward (creating a single slip over the back).
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5) This image shows the curvature inward (concave), which I prefer for looks
only. The tips need to be aligned and the slips held together as one unit.
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6) Because of the strong curvature of these feathers I have
"humped" them to reverse the direction of the curvature. The
natural curvature would have the tip swept up. By holding the base, gently
stoking and bending the fibers downward, I have made the tip go down. This
creates a hump just back from the tie in spot and squares off the tip a bit.
Please note that I have done all this with the slips already measured for
tying in.
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7) Carefully switch hands, maintaining the hump. Set the slips down on top
of the shank. Bring your thread straight up the near side, trapping it
behind your thumb. Do a soft loop on the back side directly opposite of the
near side thread. (If your thread is offsides the slips will twist when you
tighten the loop.)
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8) Pinch the slips tightly. Tighten down on the thread with a straight pull.
Pull the slips back towards you slightly to counteract the thread torque. If
all goes well the slips will seat themselves on top of the shank and the
fibers will be compressed in a straight line. (If not, you usually get one
more try before you have to cut new slips.)
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9) Place three additional wraps forward (never to the rear) of the first
wrap. Each wrap should be tighter than the previous. The wing should have
set similar to what you see here.
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10) Holding the slips and body in your fingers carefully cut away the butts
of the slips. ( If your wraps are not tight enough your wings will come
loose at this point (go back to step 4; or will disappear when casting, oops
. do over.) Place a couple more tight wraps over the butts.
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11) Cut and stack a small bundle of deer/elk hair. Holding
the thread tight slip the hair over the front of the hook, surrounding
the fly. The tips should reach just beyond the bend.
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12) Holding the hair in place with your back hand, place
two loose wraps around the hair bundle. Both wraps need to be on top of
each other. |
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13) Still holding the hair tightly, pull on the thread
causing the hair to
flair in place. Once the hair has stopped flaring, put one more wrap
though the tie in spot.
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14) Stroke the butt fibers back while bringing your thread
through the hair. Put a couple of wraps tight against the hair, whip
finish, and cut the thread.
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15) Cut the butts off at the eye (or shorter for a smaller
head). You should have a little bit of bare shank behind the eye on this
fly. Skating patterns are often fished with a "riffling hitch",
which is a half hitch thrown over the hook shank after the leader is tied
on. This causes the fly to come off the leader perpendicular instead of
in-line. |