Kick-Off Fly of the Week - Week 1 - February 6-12

ScottP, I LOVE the looks of that fly! May have to "steal" that one and adapt the colors to catch some fishies around here.....

Ken Morrish designs some cool flies. Here's a good SBS (I had a problem keeping regular floss on top of the hook while I wrapped the wire so I swapped it out for Sexi-floss; any spandex product would work):

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/insthotwirecad.htm

If you've never visited Steve's site, by the way, it's fantastic; a great resource.

Regards,
Scott

I don't really have a caddis pupa pattern. When there are caddis on the water I usually choose a generic soft hackle of appropriate size and color. So I made this one up this morning. This is the first one off the vise. So it is a bit ragged.

body: tan-yellow UV Chewy skin rubbed with wax, so Pearl Ice Dub will stick to the back of the chewy skin while winding
bead: copper-colored
wings: tan duck flank
hackle: a few twists of long brown, intentionally poor quality CDC in a dubbing loop.
antennae: left the stems of duck flank un-trimmed
thread: 14/0 tan
hook: #14 DaiRiki 135

http://montana-riverboats.com/Uploads/caddis-pupa.jpg

Question for AlanB:

Really impressed with your realistic caddis emerger. Wonderful job!
It brings up a question I have had for years, but never asked: Most of the caddis I have seen have their horns to the rear. Yet, the best known caddis pattern with horns, the Goddard Caddis, has them forward facing.
I know the horns move, but in many photos of the insect on the water show the horns to the rear. In water, as an emerger, it would obviously seem natural for the horns to be rear facing. But, on the water surface, what would be the "natural" position of the horns.
Please enlighten me?
Thanks,
Byron

Certainly prior to emerging the horns are rear facing. Though they protrude out of the front of the head. The adult caddisflies I usually see have the horns forward then curved back over the body. Probably the best way to show you is to tie something. I'll get on to it after work tomorrow. Need to get to bed now.
Cheers,
A.