Invicta Flies - Caddis Emerger
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A good pattern to represent the hatching caddis.  The abdomen, which would be the pupa and trailing shuck, absorbs water and is supported in the surface film by the thorax and wing, which represent the emerging adult caddis.  A little floatant can be applied to the wing and thorax only. Excellent during heavy hatches, especially when standard Caddis dries seem to go unnoticed.
Hook: Mustad 94840, #16-14
Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0, brown (olive for green caddis)
Ribbing: loop of tying thread
Tail: tuft of abdomen dubbing
Abdomen: Caddis Emerger dubbing, color to match local naturals
Wing: natural deer hair in shades to match locals
Thorax: squirrel dubbing blend


Tying Instructions:

1)  Cover front half of shank with tying thread, bring to halfway between hook point and eye.

2)  In a stacker, even the tips of a clump of deer hair slightly smaller than a matchstick in diameter for size 14, half matchstick for 16.  Tie in on top of shank with tips forward, length equal to entire hook.  To help keep the bundle on top of the shank, take a couple loose turns of thread at the tie-down area, then press against the far side with the index finger of the hand hold the butt ends of the clump.  Pull down on the bobbin to tighted the wraps, then take three or four more tight turns toward the rear.  Stagger clip the butts to form a taper when overwrapped with thread.

3)  Wind thread over butts and bring to bend.  Form loop with thread, lash over it back into the bend (this will later be the ribbing). One quarter into the bend, fold ribbing forward into the wing to hold until use later. Contiue to wrap shank with thread halfway into the bend.

4) Roll a small pinch of the Caddis Emerger dubbing into "noodle" and tie in halfway into bend, length equal to about hook gap... pull out, don't clip, excessevely long fibers.

5)  Dub up to where ribbing is tied in, then pull ribbing back out of the way and continue to dub up to about two hook eyes behind wing tie-in point.

6)  Counter-wrap thread ribbing forward, about five turns, to thread.  Tie off and clip.

7)  Dub thorax with squirrel blend tight and about twice the thickness of the abdomen. Dub behind wing, then pull wing up and build thread dam to prop up at least 45 degrees, ideally about 60 degrees.  Dub in front of wing up to eye (consistent thickness), whip finish and cement the head.

NOTES:  Squirrel blend= 3/4 fox squirrel (under fur and guard hairs) + 1/4 rabbit (use various shades to acheive different colors, usually a shade of rabbit somewhat darker than the abdomen).