Stick caddis – Chatto’s tie

 

This is the lava of a Caddis fly (or Sedge) and is common from September through to December particularly in the flooded margins of lakes. Can be fished relatively static as a prospecting fly with a very slow retrieve or used as an ambush fly when polaroiding.

Materials

 

Hook Thread Head Legs Rib Body
Size 10 to 14 2X long shank Brown Yellow closed cell foam or poly yarn Brown Grizzly hackle Fine copper wire Peacock herl or dubbing

Process

 

A
  1. Cut a length of closed cell foam about the same dimensions as a match stick.
  2. Using a naked flame burn one end of the closed cell foam.

 

B

  1. Wind the thread in touching turns from the bend of the hook.
  2. Tie in the length of closed cell foam at the bend of the hook with the burnt tip extending beyond the bend of the hook a distance equal to about half the gape of the hook.
  3. Wrap thread all the way back to the 95% position taking slightly tighter wraps as you proceed.
  4. Trim the closed cell foam off at an angle to the hook shank at the 85% position and then wind the thread past the end of the trimmed closed cell foam to the 95% position and then all the way back to the bend of the hook.

 

C
  1. Tie in a hackle at the bend of the hook and take three wraps of the hackle.
  2. Tie the hackle off and trim the excess.

 

D
  1. Push the hackle back with your fingers or an empty biro tube and take a couple of wraps of thread to hold them facing slightly backwards.

 

E
  1. Either dub on a thin body of good quality dubbing material or build up a Peacock herl rope body all the way to the eye of the hook.

 

F
  1. Whip finish just behind the eye of the hook, trim and varnish the thread.