Tight Lines Fly Fishing: Paul's April 2023 Fly of the Month

Woodchuck Caddis

Hook: Tiemco 100 Or Dry Fly Hook of choice; in Size #12 to #18.

Thread: Tan, Brown or Wood Duck colored thread.

Body: Woodchuck under fur; or Natural Hare’s Ear dubbing mixed with Woodchuck under fur. You may even be able to find Woodchuck dubbing.

Wing: Woodchuck guard hairs.

Hackle: Brown and Grizzly; or a single Cree; or dark-barred Dun Hackle.

Eric Leiser is credited with having popularized this fly. He included it in his book ‘The Book of Fly Tying Patterns’. It’s a pretty easy tie and you can knock a lot of these flies fast. It requires only 3 all natural materials. This fly has been around for a while. I have to thank my friend Bill Goeben for introducing it to me more than 35 years ago.

To tie this fly, secure the hook in your vice. Start your thread on the hook shank leaving a 2 hook eye length space behind the hook eye. Take a few securing wraps ‘rearward’ then cut off the tag end. Wrap rearward so that your thread hangs at about the hook point. Next, create a slender dubbing noodle with your Body dubbing of choice. Start dubbing the hook shank at the bend and make ‘touching’ wraps forward to the initial tie in point. You are now going to prepare your wing by clipping a small clump of Guard Hairs off of the Woodchuck hide. Pull away the shorter ‘underfur’ from the Guard Hairs. You can use it for Body dubbing if you want. Take the Guard Hairs and place them ‘tips first’ into a hair stacker. Stack the hairs then measure them on top of the hook shank. It should extend slightly beyond the back edge of the hook bend. Hold the hairs tightly and make securing wraps forward. Now lift the butt ends of the hairs off and trim them off. Continue making securing wraps forward to the hook eye. Bring your thread back to the initial tie in point.

Select a Brown and Grizzly hackle for the fly. A Cree or dark-barred Dun Hackle will also work. Strip the fuzzy base feather fibers. Now lay the feather on the near side of the hook. The feather fibers should be forward beyond the hook eye and the stem will lay the hook shank. After it is securely anchored, cut off the butt end of the feather and create a secure base for your hackle. Leave your thread at the initial tie in point. Now, wrap your hackle back to your thread with your pliers. Take a few securing wraps around your hackle feather. You are now going to make ‘touching’ wraps forward, carefully making counter wraps through your hackle, all the way to the hook eye. Whip finish the fly, then cut off the butt end of your hackle feather and your done.