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Caddisfly Larva or Hydrosyche(foreword and dressing by Tony Downing)

Over the years that I have been tying flies, I have gathered a fair selection of books on  the subject of Entomology. 
Now, with so much time on my hands I am reading through a series of books that I used many years ago to tie a group of flies that took me through more than one season, using no more than these patterns. 

They cover Mayflies, Caddis Flies, Stoneflies and Damsel Flies, although they can be tied to cover any upwinged species. 

Over the next few pages I hope to show what can be achieved with a little effort, and the flies that evolve  should take you through a full season. I know, you’ve heard it before, you have possibly even tried it, 

A FIXED  NUMBER FLIES ONLY FOR THE SEASON. 

Then, in an Angling Mag, you see a new `must have’ fly, so you tie it, it works, BANG goes your set number of flies, and you are back to square one. 

So, what will hopefully occur, is that I will tie  TWO, THREE or FOUR flies of each species, one for each stage in the life cycle of the chosen fly. 

The idea behind this exercise will be to hopefully encourage you to use your own skills in identifying, matching, tying and then fishing with them. 

I will begin with CADDIS FLIES, (order Trichoptera) 
There are three steps in the progression to Adult, that interest the Fly Angler. 
Step 1 Larva, Step 2 Pupa, Step 3 Adult.   



My favourite pattern for the Larva stage is, The Hydropsyche, this one does not live in a case and crawl about on the river bed, it spins a net to catch its food, and is a voracious predator, it swims to the surface to hatch, can be found in both still and running water. 

Dressing: Caddis Fly Larva. 

Hook, Partridge 15BN Klinkhammer, #12 - 18. 
Thread, Brown or Olive , Power Silk. 
Tails, tiny tuft of filo plume feather, or under fur. 
Rib, Tying Silk. 
Abdomen, 3mm strip of Nymph Skin. 
Gills, 3 natural grey Ostrich herls 
Legs, Fibres TORN from a cock pheasant centre tail, 
             tied in one by one. 
Thorax, As Abdomen 
Head, Tying Silk, whip finished with a drop of varnish. 

Tying Notes: 
Moser Power Silk is recommended. 
A second loaded bobbin holder is required, same colour silk. 
If Weight is required, add as first operation, self adhesive flat lead, up & down. Butting turns 
Abdomen should be 2/3rds of the total length, legs start here. 
The pheasant tail fibres should be torn from the quill and NOT cut, it is the torn end that gives us the leg. 
FILO Plumes or Aftershafts, are found at the base of most Game bird feathers, handle with great care. 

Instruction assumes a right handed tier. 

Mount the hook in the vice and, if you are weighting the fly DO IT NOW, wind self adhesive flat lead from the bend to the eye and back, trim waste. Attach the thread behind the eye, then in touching turns take the thread along the shank to a point beyond the lead and well round the bend, prepare and tie in a Filo plume.     
 

If weight has been added, use the thread to blend everything into one curve. 
Using very fine scissors, snip the centre out of the Filo plume, leaving approx 2mm of quill. This will leave you with a small V in the feather which imitates the tails of the Nymph, and making sure that the thread is left at the tie in point. 
 

Select a strip of Nymph Skin and cut a piece about 3” long, at one end make a diagonal cut leaving a point, 
 

REMEMBERING THAT THE LONG EDGE IS THE TRAILING EDGE. Rotate the vice or turn the hook over and tie in the skin, bind down and secure. 
Select 3 Ostrich herls ( Natural Grey) and tie them in, also on the underside of the hook. Let them trail behind the vice. Making sure that the thread is left at the tie in point 
 


At this point, I find it easier to attach the second loaded bobbin at the eye, and wind 8 turns along the shank, leave in this position. 
Pick up the Nymph skin, stretch it slightly, and keeping the same tension, wind along the shank in overlapping turns, until you arrive at the other thread. Then still keeping tension on the skin, tie off with very tight turns. stretch the skin to very tight, and trim off, whip finish this thread and trim away. 

 







Return your attention to the Tail end, using your dubbing needle, run it along the flu of the herls so that they stand out at right angles to the stalk. Line the herls along the shank, pick up your first bobbin and tie down the herls as you move along the shank, MAKING SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE TRAILING EDGE OF THEN SKIN WITH THE THREAD. TRY ALSO NOT TO TRAP ANY OF THE FLU WITH THE SILK. At 2/3rds along the shank, stop and tie off the herls, trim waste. 
 

Select ONE fibre of the torn Pheasant tail, note that it has a HOOK at the torn end, this is going to be a foot (1 of 6 ) of your fly. YOUR HOOK SHOULD STILL BE USD. 
Take the leg behind the silk and lift over the body, (this should automatically trap the fibre) bring it onto the near side, and pull from the rear until it is in the correct place and the right length, approx 3mm. Now repeat the process on the other side. when both legs are secure and in line, with very fine scissors, trim the waste fibre, taking care not to cut the legs or the breathers. One down 2 to go. 
 

Wind the thread along to the next skin lap, and repeat the last movement, near side leg first, et al, then repeat again to complete the six legs. 
 


I will now allow you time to drink a Whisky, ( you’ll need one) 



When you have got your breath back, finish the tying in front of the legs by forming a neat head, whip finish, trim waste, varnish. 
When the varnish is dry, you can now add colour to the nymph, again taking care not to colour the breathers. 
 


A Dark Brown or Olive for the back, and Black for the thorax/ head area. Or colours of your own choice, possibly to match the flies in your home region. 

Caddisman  Dec 2008

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