[Windknotter]

At the request of a friend I am posting a simple caddis pattern of mine. This pattern has a low profile and floats well. It also boasts a very high hook up rate due to the completely clear hook gap. I've especially enjoyed the hook rate attribute when fishing small streams for small trout.

Hook-#16-14 Standard dry
Thread-8/0 Olive
Wing-Elk hair
Hackle-Grizzly undersized one size of hook
Abdomen-Olive superfine

Feel free to change color to suit.

#1 Start thread, wrap shank to bend and return thread to hook eye. Clip a bundle of hair from a hide patch about the size you would for a normal elk hair caddis (may need to be slightly smaller depending on how full winged you prefer your EHC's ). Comb out the underfur and stack to even tips. Hold the wing atop the hook shank to adjust length. It should be slightly longer than the entire hook.

#2 Tie in the wing using several pinch wraps behind the hook eye. Take 2-3 more turns through the wing to anchor it further and keep it from spinning on the shank.

#3 Gather and lift the butts up while clipping them at a 45 degree angle. Wrap over the butts with thread wraps.

#4 Tie in the hackle concave side facing downward.

#5-6 Take the thread to the end of the shank, dub the abdomen and wrap forward covering the butts of the wing. Wrap 5-6 turns of hackle around the wing as if it were a post.

#7 Tie off the hackle with 2-3 turns of thread around the post with wraps through the hackle wraps then let the bobbin hang. Clip the excess hackle at the stem carefully.

#8 Tease and seperate the hackle fibers over the abdomen outward to the sides.

Continue by using your thumb and index finger.

#9 Pull the wing over and back then secure with 3-4 thread wraps behind the wing root and teased out hackle fibers.

#10 Whip finish at this same point, clip thread and apply cement.

#11 Any stray hackle and wing fibers can be clipped now from the finishing wraps if necessary.


After catching a number of fish the dubbed body will eventually start to separate and trail the fly. If it does I just keep it clipped a little short and keep on fishing it. It must appear as a trailing shuck and only seems to increase the flies appeal.

[CreationBear]

Very nice! A backcountry gem to be sure...

[streamer]

Whoa, Theron......That dog will hunt! Very nice fly that I am going to add to my box today. Thank you.

Well played, sir.

Streamer

[ditchmonkey]

oh man that fly is so solid it almost hurts........very niceeeee

[teachrtec]

I believe that would be a extremely productive fly around these parts. Very nice I shall have to give it a try today at some point. Thanks.

[RonS81]

WN;
Very nice fly, Great tutoral

[fishinbub]

I can't believe nobody has thought of that hackle method. Very nice tie.

[milligan trout degree]

sweet fly, i believe i know some fish on the watauga that will take that. im gonna tie a few black ones up. thanks for the pics.

[gqualls]

Good stuff, Theron. Your tying skills know no limits. I appreciate all the flies you share.

Take care.

[sctroutin]

I am at least one of the friends that requested Windknotter show this tutorial. I love the pattern and have caught lots of fish in all kinds of waters when the fish were on caddis. It helped me tremendously because of the easier hookup. If you are a little rusty from not fishing for a few months this one makes sure hook-ups much more easy. There is no hackle below water to push off the fish as they come up for the take.
Growing up in Bama as a Bass fisherman and transplanted to SC close to great mountain trout fishing-my then neighbor, Windknotter showed me the ropes on trout fishing and tying. I have enjoyed countless hours for almost a decade and a half now since those first few lessons. I just want to say "THANKS! Windknotter."
We all have someone(s) to thank for getting us going on this hangup, obsession, passion, pass-time or whatever you choose to call it. It now has been passed to two sons and a daughter and I realize I owe everyone on this forum a bit of a thankyou.
It is a great community-- thank you ALL! I continue to learn to fish, tie and enjoy the great outdoors that God gave us and to a great part am encouraged in all this by you!