Paul's October 2014 Fly of the Month

Missing Link Caddis

Hook:  Size #15-#17 Tiemco 102Y. 

Tying thread:   Uni-Thread 8/0 in camel.

Abdomen:  Thread.

Rib:   Single strand of pearl Flasabou or Krystal Flash.

Abdomen Coating:  Softex, Flexcement, or Hard As Nails.

Dubbing Ball:  Peacock Ice Dub.
Downwings:  Dun Z-lon.

Upwing:  Elk or coastal deer hair with dark tips.

Hackle:  Blue dun saddle hackle.

This pattern has a few more extra steps and ingredients than most caddis dry flies.  It’s well worth the effort to catch finicky trout.  The first thing you’ll notice about this fly is that it’s tied on a Tiemco 102Y hook.   This is a barbless, black, and odd # sized hook.  It’s easy to find and readily available.  Also, this fly has swept back wings and hackle around the deer hair wing.  The fly floats like a cork.  The swept back wings mimic dead or dying caddis on the water.  Everything about this fly is a little different from the norm.  That’s good when fishing TMA’s.  Trout get more finicky as a hatch goes on.  At times you have to toss something different at them.

Begin by starting your thread 1/3 down the hook shank and cover the hook shank half way into the bend of the hook.  Tie in your strand of Krystal Flash and rib the thread body you’ve created.  Tie and trim off your rib.   At the end of the body dub a little ball of Peacock Ice Dub.  In front of it tie in a sparse wing of dun z-lon.  The wing should flare in two segments sweeping back towards the end of the hook.  Clip the wings so that they are the length of the hook bend.  Tie in your Elk or Coastal Deer hair wing just as you would for most caddis imitations.  Tie in your dun saddle hackle.  Wrap the hackle “parachute style” around the elk/deer hair wing including the butts.  Your wing and butts will become elevated and have a higher profile.  You can now trim the butts of the hair wing.  Be careful not to trim any hackle.  Whip finish the fly and you’re done.

A video of how to tie the Missing Link Caddis can be found below.

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of the Month, I can be reached at 203 305-3850 or e-mail me at pdinice@frontier.com .  This pattern can also be viewed at www.hffa.net .