Fly of the Month by J. Stockard Pro Tyer: Matthew Beers, Circleville NY. Matthew is mostly known for tying traditional style Catskill flies. Find Matthew on Instagram.
I developed this Caddis pattern over many years of trial and error on The Neversink River in the southern Catskills of New York. It’s a low riding dry fly, as fish in these waters tend to prefer parachute style patterns or emergers that are fished in the film, but Caddis are the predominant food source.
Neversink Caddis Recipe
Hook – Size 16 1xL light wire Dry Fly Hook
Thread – Wapsi Dark Brown 70
Body – Superfine Cinnamon Caddis Dub
Wing – Cow Elk brown
CdC Collar – 2 Brown CdC feathers.
If you have it, use 1 brown and 1 CdC Rusty Brown tied in using the split thread, spun to blend method, instead of just 2 brown feathers.
*Getting the correct color blend is critical, and can be tweaked for other waters or seasons by easily changing the ratio of color or colors used.
Neversink Caddis Tying Instructions
Tying instructions:
1. Start near back of hook and dub body with dubbing.
2. Stack elk hair and tie in wing. To stack, just hold on to ends of elk and do not let it spin around shank while you make thread wraps around the butt ends of the elk to lash it to the shank.
3. For this step, I use a CdC clip, but you can use the new Loon Outdoors D-Loop Tweezers as well. Lay Two CdC slips in CdC clip, cut off stems, switch fibers to next clip. Split thread and insert CdC fibers in split. Close and pinch thread. Spin bobbin till small knot forms at pinch, release and rock thread back & forth ( fibers should spin in thread blending together) Then wrap collar forward pulling fibers back as going. Whip finish and fish.
I recommend reading Marc Petitjean’s book CdC for more detailed info on working with CdC.
