Cinnamon Caddis Pupa "Fly of the Week #144

Cinnamon Caddis Pupa
By Carl Richards and Bob Braendle

Cinnamon Caddis Pupa

Pupae present a different problem. They are more complex than larvae and are available to fish in three different areas. The imitations are similar in appearance but they are fished at different depths. Trout take pupae as they drift along the bottom prior to swimming to the surface, as they swim to the surface and as they drift subsurface prior to emergence. We need three patterns, one weighted which can be drifted on the bottom with the legs in the resting position, one weighted with the middle legs fringed at the tips and projecting forward. This would be allowed to sink and then raised to the surface. The third is unweighted with the legs in the resting position to be drifted just under the surface.

Cinnamon Caddis Pupa (Hydropsyche/Ceratopsyche)

Hooks: Tiemco 100, sizes 16-18, light wire.

Thread: Yellow for body, brown for head.

Body: Cinnamon spun fur or synthetic dubbing and pheasant tail fibers for those naturals with darker backs.

Legs: Soft Brown hackle.

Head: Brown thread.

Wing Case: Black Z-lon.

Ribbing: Gold wire.

Antennae: Mallard flank.

Tying Instructions:

1. Tie a strand of black Z-lon on the bottom of the [dressed] hook, perpendicular to the shank at a point one third of the way from the end of the hook shank. Tie-in the wire rib on the bottom of the hook.

2. Tie-in pheasant tail fibers for those flies with darker backs. Dub the body past the Z-lon to cover three quarters of the hook shank.*

3. Fold the pheasant tail fibers forward and tie-in. Wrap the rib forward and tie-off.

4. Pull the Z-lon forward and tie-off on the bottom of the hook.

5. Tie-in beard-style six fibers of brown soft hackle for the legs.

6. Tie-in mono eyes or burn your own by centering an appropriate length of mono in hemostates or hackle pliers and burn each end. Dub a head by figure-eighting around the eyes with dubbing. Tie-in antennae. Whip finish and cement.

The fly should be weighted if you want it to sink. It should have a pair of small, fringed hackle tips for the middle legs if the swimming pupa is to be imitated. The thorax wing cases and head can be formed by painting with liquid latex and black or dark brown acrylic paint. A very realistic head, thorax and wing case can be produced by building these up in layers. ~ Carl Richards

* Publisher's Note: If you wish an even more realistic fly, tie the pheasant fibers on with a very short stub extending over the bend of the hook, then continue to make the wing pads. The actual pupae does have small extended tails as can be seen in the Not Quiet Entomology article on the Cinnamon Caddis. I would also use the Mustad Shrimp/Caddis Hook (80250BR) for a more realistic nymph shape, pinch the barb before tying.

We thank Frank Amato Publications Inc. for use permission for this excerpt from Caddis Super Hatches.