Fly Tying: N40 Caddis
I am not really sure why, but there are a few things I like about this fly. Gold beads work. That’s been proven over the last 30 years on about a billion patterns, so nothing original there, but I do think that makes it work.
The fly uses MFC Wonderwrap, which I have to argue is one of the best caddis body patterns you can use.
I like the duck neck feathers as a collar because the feathers are short and therefore you get the soft marabou bottom of the feather as well as the partridge like mottled top of the feather in two wraps, which keeps the fly sparse. Then of course Ice Dub (we literally carry every color at the shop) which is also not original but the stuff works. The fly also sports a small chartreuse butt section on this fly to emulate the color of a shucked caddis, and no, I’m not dumb, I do realize by the time the caddis is to this stage in its life-cycle that the insect is no longer chartreuse in color.
I also realize that fish can’t see color that well under water (supposedly- but who knows really). Since the fly works, I’m going to go ahead and just believe that possibly the fish key in on that color because of the abundance of it in the water but the reality is, it really doesn’t matter why they eat it- as long as they eat it.
If you’re not a tier we will have the N40 caddis in the bins of the Great Falls fly shop this spring already tied up, so come get ya some.
Chartreuse Ultra Thread size 70
(if you don't have duck neck feathers)