I used to chat with Tom quite often through email about classic Michigan dry flies. We both had a great interest in them and it was nice to talk to someone who shared that interest. It has been almost a year since Tom passed away and with spring coming, I miss chatting with him about flies. So I wanted to post one of his dry flies that is a consistent producer, called Caplis. I plan to tie some up for summer and I hope you do too. I know Tom would be smiling.
Materials list:
Hook: Mustad #94840 or #94833 Size: 8-18
Thread: Black, 6/0
Tail: Red Hackle Fibers, tied short
Body: Peacock Herl
Wing: Bleached Elk Hair, tied down, caddis style
Head: Trim off wing butts, tie caddis style
Hackle: Furnace
Designed as a caddis attractor pattern with multiple uses. It can be fished on lakes, rivers or streams, fast water or still waters. It’s highly visible and a great floater. In larger sizes it can be used for bass and in smaller sizes it can be use for pan fish. It’s deadly for brooks, browns and rainbows.
Designed in 2007 the fly has become very popular having appeared in Fly Tyer Magazine and Fly Fish America and on multiple web sites. The fly was designed by Tom Deschaine, a retired school teacher from Westland, Michigan.
A step-by-step of this pattern is posted here: http://www.mustad.no/action/flyofthemonth/archive/caplis/caplis.html
