Caddisflies, or order Trichoptera, are a group of insects with aquatic larvae and terrestrial adults. Also called sedge-flies or rail-flies,
One of the classic generic nymphs. Although originally designed to imitate a cased caddis fly, the Zug Bug has proven its effectiveness over many decades. Well worth tying up a few in # 10-16. Zug Bug pattern Hook: Mustad R73 … Continue reading Zug Bug
A little variant of the LaFontaine classic. An absolute must have pattern if you are fishing still water caddis fly hatches. Here I demonstrate a good technique for getting the Antron shuck in place. Hook: Mustad R30 # 12-16Tying thread: … Continue reading Deep sparkle pupa variant
Continuing the quick flies to tie,the PDQ (pretty damn quick) caddis will not only float all day long, but it also takes under 4 minutes to tie! This very simple technique, uses a single natural CDC hackle and a small … Continue reading PDQ Caddis
A quick but effective pattern for one of the last large bugs of the year. An easy tie with a couple of good techniques that can be used in other patterns. Hook: Mustad R43 # 8 Tying thread: Dyneema Hackle: … Continue reading How to tie the October Caddis
A great pattern when the trout are selective. Only basic materials are needed for this ‘ must have’ pattern for the caddis specialist, that can be fished static or as a skater. An easy tie with a couple of interesting … Continue reading How to tie the Poly wing caddis
When the egg layers are active your waders can be a popular place to deposit the eggs! Its that time of year when an egg laying caddis is an essential addition to your fly box! Heres an easy pattern that … Continue reading Egg laying caddis
This egg depositing caddis is a great pattern when the egg laying females are on the water. A simple tie that can be a game changer. Continue reading Egg laying caddis dry fly
A nice technique for making a CDC body, without coming in conflict with the under body of the fly. This makes the body fish deep under the surface but keep the wing high and dry. Continue reading Double D caddis dry fly
An unusual peacock and deer hair pattern with a double wing. Originaly made to imitate a caddis fly the super bug is also a great searcher pattern, that will raise fish from their holding spots just about anywhere. Hook: Mustad … Continue reading How to tie Double super bug
When large wood ants swarm on the warmest summer days the trout go on a feeding frenzy. This is one of those patterns that you just can’t do without. Simple but realistic and quick to tie. Hook: Mustad R43 # … Continue reading Tying the flying wood ant
This is a model pattern for most mayfly nymphs, all you need to do is change the hook size and material colour to imitate a whole number of different nymphs. A good pattern to know! Hook: Mustad S82 # 8 … Continue reading Tying a model mayfly nymph
This is a pattern designed to show the pure versatility of deer hair! Tail, spun body and hackle all made from deer hair and nothing more. Three deer hair techniques that will for sure be helpful to you when tying … Continue reading Tying the deer hair irresistible dry fly
I have had so many questions regarding the correct deer hair for tying the streaking caddis that I have made this little tutorial on deer hair and prep for the streaking caddis. Learn more about deer hair materialUltimate guide to … Continue reading Deer hair prep for streaking caddis
A get down deep house building caddis pattern that has to be one of the most productive weighted grayling patterns I know, along with a couple of neat tying techniques. Hook: Mustad R75 # 8 Tying thread: Dyneema Weight: Polypropylene … Continue reading How to tie peeping caddis
This is a diving or egg laying caddis that is fished just under the surface with long slow pulls. The combination of partridge hackle and hen mallard breast feathers is a real fish attractor. Hook: Mustad S60 # 8 Tying … Continue reading Tying the diving or egg laying caddis
This is an old but still good and quick method for tying the knots in pheasant tail fibres for crane fly and hopper legs. Its like riding a bike once learnt never forgotten! Please remember to subscribe to the feather benders You Tube channel: Continue reading Daddy’s legs – knots in pheasant tail
A very simple pattern with a not so well know hackling technique, try this pattern and I am sure you won’t be disappointed. Hook: Mustad R30 # 12 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 Black Trailing shuck: UV flash Abdomen: Black tying … Continue reading How to tie the Hatching midge dry fly
Another deer hair technique that shows you how to make spun deer hair bodies with the use of a dubbing loop. Learn more about deer hair materialUltimate guide to deer hair part 1Ultimate guide to deer hair part 2Ultimate guide … Continue reading Spinning deer hair in a dubbing loop
This is yet another parachute technique with a twist! A very satisfying method of finishing a traditional parachute hackle that also equips the pattern with a quick sight indicator. Hook: Mustad R30 # 12 Tying thread: Sheer 14/0 black Tail: … Continue reading How to tie Poly weld para dry fly
This is a priceless little trick for improving the grip of most hackle pliers substantially! Continue reading Improving your hackle pliers!
This pattern has proved itself now over many years and has become a must have pattern for most trout and grayling fishermen in Scandinavia. Hook: Mustad R 30 # 10 Tying thread: Dyneema Head & Tail: Natural roe deer hair … Continue reading Beauty and the Beast, Tying the Dyret
The feather benders home grown and hand crafted fly tyers wax scull’s. It’s not that long ago that pre-waxed tying thread was not readily available, and tyers, especially of the more classic stile patterns resorted to various types of wax to make tying more easy and the natural threads such as cotton and silk more durable. Because the majority of tying threads available today are pre-waxed, the practice of waxing your own tying thread has been somewhat neglected or almost forgotten for most fly tyers. Apart from the obvious advantages as mentioned above, waxing your own thread makes easy work … Continue reading A new batch of sculls now available…
PatteGrisen (Suckling pig) Its ten years today that the pig was born. There are, I am sure, hundreds, if not thousands of new fly patterns that are tied each year for salt water sea trout alone, most of which only … Continue reading How to tie PatteGrisen (Suckling pig)
My Shove, Shave, Singe and Sand technique for the tightest deer hair bodies.Probably the most frequent question I am asked at shows and demos is how do I get my small deer hair bodies so tight. Well heres my secret … Continue reading Shove,Shave,Singe and Sand Technique for deer hair bodies
The G & H Sedge or Goddard Caddis The G & H sedge, as it was originally named was created by John Goddard and Cliff Henry. John Goddard who died last December was one of the great innovators of fly tying. This is a small tribute to one of, if not, his most famous patterns. The dressing and style of tying I demonstrate here, is taken from the 1977 re-print of his 1969 book ‘Trout flies of still-water’. Original recipe Hook: Long-shank 8-10 Tying Silk: Green Underbody: Dark green seals fur Body: Natural deer hair Hackle: Two rusty dun … Continue reading The G & H Sedge Goddard Caddis
It’s been a while, but I am back, and posting more patterns after a busy season photographing and fishing, where I have been testing new patterns and materials that I will be writing about later. I have also visited some … Continue reading Marc Petitjean – CdC deer hair caddis
Keeping on the theme of melt glue I thought I would show you this pattern that has a little different technique than the Mutant. Here I combine the material into the melt glue. It does take a little practice and time to master these melt glue techniques but the results are worth it! For more general info on caddis pupa take a look at the Bee Cee caddis in the archive. Melt Glue Caddis Pupa: Hook: Mustad C49SNP-BR # 12-8 Thread: Dyneema Body: Melt Glue Gills/rib: Olive Ostrich herl Thorax/Head: Black and brown Antron dubbing and CdC Continue reading Melt Glue Caddis Pupa
X Caddis Dont forget! If you have any questions please dont hesitate to ask. Just post your question at the foot of this page. If you would like to receive a message when the next stage of the course is published, just add your e mail address at the top right of this page. Thanks, The feather bender. This next fly in the course is the X Caddis. This is a no hackle dry fly that floats extremely well because of the natural buoyancy of the deer hair and Antron tail. Hook: Mustad R50 94840 # 10-18 Thread: Dyneema Tail: … Continue reading Dry Fly Adult caddis
This is a tutorial I made with my good friend Marc Petitjean to demonstrate how he uses the magic tool and a few other CdC techniques he has up his sleeve. If you are not familiar with Marc’s tools and … Continue reading CdC tutorial with Marc Petitjean part 1
Elk Hair Caddis pattern is from the tying bench of well know American fly tyer Al Troth. This is probably the most well known caddis pattern in existence, and rightly so. The Elk Hair Caddis as it is also known … Continue reading Elk Hair Caddis
My pale yellow mayfly imitation that was easy to see on the dark water, drifted perfectly 7-8 metres from the boat, quickly approaching two rolling grayling in the next pool, that we had had our eyes on for the last 80 metres or so, drift. When without warning another, previously unseen fish rose from the depths of a dark pool and enthusiastically disappeared with my mayfly. Espen began pulling on the oars to slow our decent and dropped the anchor. I lifted my rod and it immediately assumed the golden arch position with the grayling diving deep into the pool. … Continue reading Drift boat fishing in Trysil whit Petitjean
House building caddis larva are available in most waters all year round, and are an important segment of the diet of trout and grayling. There are many techniques that have been developed over the years from fly tying benches all over the world to imitate the house of the caddis larva, but this technique really gives the right impression. This is a pattern I believe was developed in the US, but other than that I cant find any other information about it. The great thing about this pattern is if you trim the rubber legs close to the body you … Continue reading Elasticaddis in the house!
After a short drive, south east from reykjavik, a small farm road leads us the last few kilometers to the fishing lodge at Minnivallækur, the weather was perfect, for September. A little overcast, with small patches of blue, a slight breeze and 14 degrees “dry fly fishing was written all over the sky. Jan and I where so hyped, we could almost hear heavy brown trout rolling in the surface and sucking in size 22 midges, over the sound of the engine of our four wheel drive hire car. But in true Icelandic fashion, by the time we had pulled … Continue reading Minnivallalækur, Icelands prehistoric monster trout
I belive that many great trout patterns have several things in common: they are quick and easy to tie, no special tecniques or tools required. The materials are easy to obtain, that would say available from most fly tying stores. … Continue reading How to tie Streaking Caddis dry fly
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