I wanted to post a fly from my old buddy, Tom Deschaine’s website MichiganDryFlies.net. Tom passed away about a year ago, but he did a lot of work trying to track down information and recipes from old Michigan dry fly patterns. He is one of the major sources I’ve used when tying some of the Michigan Classics I tie.
This particular fly is Duffing’s Night Caddis designed by Harry (Henry) Duffing of Baldwin, Michigan back in the 50s. It always struck me as a very beautiful pattern and could stand up with the rest of the patterns available in the 1950s. Tom recommended to Flexament the wings to make them more durable. The wings may also be tied upright and divided. The egg sack in the back could be tied in either gray or yellow.
All Tom found out about Mr. Duffing is that he owned a barber shop in Baldwin, Michigan and was an amateur tier who specialized in heavily hackled flies. I would say for an amateur tier, he sure designed a beauty here!
This fly was created to be fished at night for the Hexagenia hatch. It is recommended to use dry fly powder floatant or liquid floatant to keep old flies like this afloat.
Recipe is as follows:
Hook: Mustad #79580 Size: 6-8 4XL
Thread: Black or Brown, 6/0
Tail: Two Pheasant Tail Fibers, tied in a “vee”.
Body: Gray Wool Yarn
Rib: Gold Tinsel and Palmered Brown Hackle.
Wing: Gray Mallard Wing Segments, tied upright & divided.
Hackle: Brown
