X Caddis – A fast easy dry fly that is very very effective. The X Caddis works as a caddis imitation but also works as an attractor that is just plain buggy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make sure that when you secure your hook in the vice that the hook shank is horizontal. Cover the hook shank with a layer of tying thread.
Step 2:Cut a very small piece of cream coloured crimped polypropylene yarn or Z-Lon. Tie this in where the hook bend begins as shown. You dont need much, this is going to represent the nymph skin trailing behind the hatching caddis. It should be about half the hook shaft length.
Step 3: Wind your tying thread back to the tail base. Spin a thin dubbing string onto the tying thread and wind tightly forward.
Step 4: Wind the dubbing forward so that you get a slightly increasing body thickness as you approach the hook eye. Leave 2-3 mm behind the hook eye so you have room for the wing and head. Make a whip finish, but dont remove the tying thread.
Step 5: Cut a small bunch with fine deer hair and even the points in a hair stacker if you have one. If you dont have a hair stacker try and get the points of the hair as even as possible. Holding the hair measure the wing by holding the hair on top of the hook shank. The wing should be a fraction longer than the body.
Step 6: While still holding the deer hair make two loose turns of tying thread around the wing and hook shank, still holding the deer hair, then tighten by pulling down. Make 5 or 6 tight turns of tying thread as shown.
Step 7: With a pair of sharp scissors cut off the excess deer hair over the hook eye with one neat cut as shown. Make a couple of whip finishes and your X caddis is ready. You can also put a tiny drop of varnish just on the whippings.
Customization
Vary the color of the shuck and the body. Caddis vary from tan, olive, black for very small sizes.
- Hook: 12 to 18 dry fly hook
- Tying thread: 50 denier Nano Silk
- Tail: cream or rust Z-lon
- Body: Light olive antron dubbing
- Wing/head: Deer hair
