The Peeking Caddis

**Hackle** · 26-09-08

A great little cased caddis imitation. This pattern is by no means new, but very definitely seems to be underrated here in SA. It has proved extremely effective for me over the years, so much so that I am at pains to share it. It is especially useful as the “heavy guy” when using a new Zealand rig setup, and has caught an disproportionate number of fish when using that set-up in the country that is its namesake. Particularly useful when using the NZ rig is the way it drifts hook upwards, allowing it bounce the bottom without snagging as often. I used to tie them with a lead shot crimped onto the nylon, but with the advent of tungsten beads I have switched, simply because you can get away with a less cumbersome bead for the same weight (but definitely not the same price!!!). I have also used gold beads for a bit of flash. I fish them in a range of sizes depending on the nature of the water, from big behemoth 10’s with extra lead in the underbody right up to little 16’s. I just can’t wait to see what they will do in Chile next year, and have a sneaking (or should I say peeking) suspicion the yellows will like this one.

Hook: Kamasan B800 #10-16
Larvae head: Melted antron fibres with green dubbing collar.
Legs: Olive partridge hackle.
Case: Dubbing brush incorporating seals fur, jackal guard hears and deer hair. Colours to match and get creative, anything goes here including the addition of bits of flash.
Bead: Tungsten on nylon.

Step 1: Dress the hook with thread down to the start of the bend. Melt the end of a small section of 8kg nylon and pushing the still soft melted blob against the metal section of the lighter you are using. This will create a flat disc that will act as a stopper for the bead. Thread the bead on and trim the nylon to length of half the hook shank. Make a smaller little disc on the other side. This will help lock the thread in when tying it in.

Step 2: Tie in the bead and nylon concoction. Placement is everything here, you want to get it along the top of the shank with the back of the bead just past the hook eye. Now take a section of antron yarn, fold it over and catch it in your hackle pliers. Cut then fibres sticking out to about 1cm long and melt with a lighter until you reach the pliers.

Step3: You should now have a section of antron fibres with the tip melted to form a small black “head”.

Step 4: Tie in the head as shown using the antron fibres to build up the underbody to the point where the nylon ended.

Step 5: Tie in a small collar of bright green dubbing.

Step 6: Tie in an olive partridge feather prepared as shown, curve facing up and just short of the dubbing collar.

Step 7: Wrap the hackle as shown and tie off. Note the small gap between the hackle and the dubbing collar.

Step 8: Now stroke the feather fibres backwards and tie over with thread to make them sit slightly backwards but not compressed. The little gap mentioned previously gives you the space to work with without starting to tie over you collar. Now you have your little caddis with white head, the start of the green body and little legs peeking out. Looks a little naked doesn’t it, so let’s build him a house!

**Hackle** · 26-09-08

Step 9: Make up a dubbing mix. I like to use a mixture of hairs ear, seals fur, rat dub and deer hair (nice for the little twiggy bits), the mixture being adjusted to get the colour I am after. You can go completely wild here and make the pattern your own; the nice thing is two rarely come out exactly the same. Rub a little Pritt on your thread and lay out the mix. Loop the thread through your dubbing spinner and back over the dubbing lying on your thread. Then as Chubby Checker said, let’s do the twist!

Step 10: Now you have your dubbing brush, not the twiggy bits of deer hair sticking out.

Step 11: Wrap the dubbing brush to form the case, making sure to stroke the deer hair bits back between wraps to prevent them getting trapped. Wrap right up to the bead and then lift it to tie off just behind the hook eye.

Step 12: Time to take the wooly monster to the barber. Using your scissor tips, aim at the hook shank at an angle and trim the guy down a bit. Careful not to use your scissors parallel to the hook shank as that creates a very even finish, much like those old pot hair-cuts, very neat but not very cool (or buggy) if you know what I mean. You are going for the slightly tamed out-of-bed-hair look here.

Step 13: All trimmed up and ready to go, whip off the apron, put your scissors away, a spot of aftershave and charge him for a hair cut well done.

There you have it, the Peeking Caddis in its little rocky river bed hide-out. Now go play!

**Morne** · 26-09-08

WOW, another great lookin fly and stunning pics.

thanks

**poppernel** · 26-09-08

This is a very nice tie, caddis is a pleasure always to tie and fish. All f/water fish rely on this foodstuff. Well done.

Dave

**MaXiMuM** · 26-09-08

One of the better patterns I have seen...

**poppernel** · 26-09-08

Originally Posted by MaXiMuM

One of the better patterns I have seen...

I've seen basically a pattern like this, except, instead of dubbing the body, wine bottle cork is grated and applied to an underbody with glue. But Hackles pattern ''tops'' this method. My opinion.

Cork or deer hair. (CHOPPED)

Dave