The Cased Caddis

Attachment 13243

This is my favorite version of the Cased Caddis. The combination of furnace hackle and turkey tail fibers represents the case very well and the fish seem to agree. I like to dead-drift this pattern by itself, and find it very effective through boulder fields and pocket water.

For recipe and tying video click on the link below:

http://ralphsflybox.blogspot.com/201...dis-video.html

Nice pattern. Is it new, or an adaptation?

Byron,

Thanks. I wouldn't call it new the cased caddis design has been around for years....its just my version. The only personal difference is the method for creating the case. I've been tying them in this manner for about 15 years now but always on a standard nymph hook. About 5 years ago I began tying it on a Caddis hook and more in line with the Czech nymph style, which I feel has improved it a bit.

Ralph

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NJTroutbum

Byron,

Thanks. I wouldn't call it new the cased caddis design has been around for years....its just my version. The only personal difference is the method for creating the case. I've been tying them in this manner for about 15 years now but always on a standard nymph hook. About 5 years ago I began tying it on a Caddis hook and more in line with the Czech nymph style, which I feel has improved it a bit.

Ralph

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I liked the addition of the furnace hackle to the case. Definite thumbs up on this. I use turkey tail for my cased caddis, but will add hackle from now on.
Interesting that you moved to a caddis emerger hook. One of my thoughts was that the cases (at least for the Brachycentrus I try to imitate) are straight, so why go curved?
Also, why the wing case? I don't think larvae have wing cases, do they?

Steven,

I added the wing case as opposed to the full back found most often in Czech patterns. The straight pattern I had always tied worked very well also. However, out of curiously in how it would adapt to a Czech pattern I changed the hook and extended turkey in a wing case, with very positive results. So....they have remained as a result. :)

Ralph,
I have tied and fished a number of cased caddis patterns before and found your pattern quite different. Similar reasons as mentioned by Steven. That's why I wondered if it was new or an adaption.

Well yes, in that sense it was an adaptation to a Czech style caddis. Prior to the change it was a straight shank with no wingcase.

Remember however, the cased caddis larva does have a glossy shell-like appearance over the thorax. It just generally does not extend back over the abdomen.

In this case, I feel the pattern works because it shows a prominent case, the thorax and legs with glossy thorax, and the absomen color representative of the water you're fishing.