Retro Crippled Caddis – Tim Barker

Tim Barker aka PlanetTrout put together this very nice step-by-step of an old pattern he calls the Retro Crippled Caddis. Tim posted about this pattern on his blog and I read it and thought it was an interesting pattern. So I asked if he would be interested in doing a step-by-step for FrankenFly and he agreed! Don’t forget to check out the link to the pattern on his blog because it will give you some more history and information about the fly.

Materials for RETRO CRIPPLED CADDIS – Tan/Gold…

HOOK: TMC 101, #14 – #18…or TMC 100, Daiichi 1100, 1110
THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Light Cahill – Under Abdomen – Veevus 16/0, Brown, Head
RIB: Ultra Wire, Amber, SM or Ultra Wire x-sm…depending on hook size
ABDOMEN: 70% Fly-Rite Poly, Tan – 30% Wapsi Life Cycle, Tan
UNDERWING: EP Short Streamer Brush Fibers – Clear (White)
WING: Coastal All Purpose Deer Hair – Dark Tips
TIPS: Whiting Grizzly – Ginger
HEAD: Rocky Mountain Deer Hair – Golden Brown

This is something in Tan for Hydropsyche with a bit of sparkle for the under wing and in the abdomen…

1. Place a de-barbed dry fly hook in the vise and start the 16/0 thread 1/3 behind the hook eye.

2. Strip a small bunch of Marabou ferather and tie them in with 5-6 tight wraps.

3. Tie in ribbing wire and cover with thread, going forward then, back to the bend, half hitch above the barb.

4. Dub the thread with poly or dubbing to be used with saliva.

5. Bring dubbing forward to tie in point and half hitch.

6. Counter rib the wire ribbing 5-6 turns and half hitch.

7. Tie in a small bunch of fibers for the under wing ( Puglisi Short Streamer – Clear, in this case) and half hitch.

8. Tie in a Grizzly tip along the hook shank, on each side ( I like them long-ish). Cut, comb and stack and tie in – using 10 thread wraps  – a small section of deer hair for the over wing.. I add a drop of head cement to bomb proof the fly.

9. Carefully wrap a section of the ribbing wire trapping the materials surrounding the abdomen, twist and pull out of the tying area. I put the matched ends of the wire in a pair of hackle pliers.

10. Tie in the Veevus 16/0 thread. It is exceptionally strong and more than adequate  for spinning deer hair. Cut, comb and stack a section of deer hair on the hook . Add two tight turns,and use fingernails to ensure the hair surrounds the hook shank. Sweep the hair back with wet finger tips and place two tight turns of thread in front of the hair. Use fingernails or a hair packer to push the bunch rearward, Be careful NOT to cut the thread.

11. Add sections of deer hair. as needed, packing as you go, to just behind the hook eye. Sweep the deer hair and bring the thread forward adding two half hitches.

12. carefully cut the deer hair around the hook using curved and fine tipped scissors. Unwrap the wire holding the materials out of the way. Add a whip finish and drop of head cement.

Tools used

 

Materials used

 

Tie up a bunch!