Our Man From Canada

IRIDESCENT OCTOBER CADDIS

Steven H. McGarthwaite - Apr 23, 2012

Originated by Ronn Lucas Sr.
Dressed by Steven H. McGarthwaite

While attending the FAOL Fish-In at Lowell Idaho in September 2003, (I was there for the October Caddis Hatch on the Selway & Locha Rivers that meet to form the Clearwater River.) I observed the October Caddis that was clinging to just about any object in the area. I took note on what size hook to use for the October Caddis hatch; I also took note of the October Caddis on the water. I took note that the October Caddis did not spend too much time on the surface after emerging and the only action on the water in the early evening was when the female October Caddisflies started depositing their eggs. 

Materials:

Note: There is no orange in this fly pattern, and as for the actual October Caddis, there was no orange on the ones I saw on the Selway and Locha either! This pattern can also be dressed on a Salmon hook for the Salmon and Steelheads that migrate upstream to spawn and then you can use even larger sized Salmon Hooks.

 


FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 1: Dressing the hook, stopping just above the point of the hook spear.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 2: Attach the yarn to the rear of the hook, do 4 wraps down the shank, then reverse and do 5 wraps forward. Secure with couple of wraps of thread.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 3: Attach Rusty Dubbing to waxed tying thread, and then wrap forward 1/3 of the dressed hook shank. Using a bodkin; push back wrapped dubbing to compact material on the hook, do two thread wraps around hook shank to secure dubbing in place.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 4: Attach Burgundy Dubbing to waxed tying thread, and then wrap forward 1/3 of the dressed hook shank. Using a bodkin; push back wrapped dubbing to compact material on the hook, do two thread wraps around hook shank to secure dubbing in place.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 5: Attach Purple Dubbing to waxed tying thread, and then wrap forward 1/3 of the dressed hook shank. Again use a bodkin; push back wrapped dubbing to compact material on the hook, do two thread wraps around hook shank to secure dubbing in place.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Throat hackle attached Defoe Style
http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part201.php

Step 7: Cut a suitable amount of Elk Mane, into the hair stack, and bag the hair stacker a couple of time on a hard surface. Remove stacked hair bundle, holding it by the tip of the elk hair. Then hold the elk main hair by the base and remove all the short elk mane segments.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 8: The rear tips of the elk main should be even with the rear of the fly patterns abdomen. Loop the tying thread once around the elk mane bundle, which should be butted up against the front of the dubbed hook shank. Remove all excess elk mane material, and then cover the remaining stubs with thread wraps.

FOTW Iridescent October Caddis
Step 9: Dress the head of the fly pattern so it has a similar appearance to the head wrap seen on Salmon Fly Patterns.

Fishing the Iridescent October Caddis:

Evening observations of the female October Caddis depositing their eggs was a learning experience for me. The females were slamming very hard onto the water surface to dislodge the eggs, and within 1 or 2 seconds they lifted off into the air only to slam-down on to the water surface again a few feet away from where they took-off.

I also observed that all the Cutthroats and the Cut-bows were lying in wait, and many times that was the end of the female October Caddis.

So when fishing these waters in the evening hours I did not attempt to make any long distance casts. I kept my line short, and did a hard cast, driving the fly hard onto the water surface, then immediately I would lift it off the water and cast it into the water surface a few feet away from its last spot

Closing Statement:

The only modification that I did to Ronn Lucas Sr.'s Iridescent October Caddis Fly Pattern was to add a tag at the rear of the hook, using pale yellow yarn (that I had borrowed from Al Campbell, earlier that night!

I kept Montana Moose stocked with this Iridescent October Caddis at the 2003 Idaho Fish-In! Late at night around the campfire he told me of his amazing exploits using this October Caddis pattern, as he drank most of the Leinenkugle Beer that I had brought from home.

Since October 2003, I have used this fly pattern with great results on many streams and open waters that do not have October Caddis all species of fish (this includes warm water also) seem to cooperate very nicely when I fish the October Caddis. ~Parnelli

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