The Double T

The Double T—short for “The Trout Treat”—is a rugged caddis pupae pattern developed by J. Stockard Pro Tyer Matt Beers, born on his home waters in the storied Catskills of New York. The idea was straightforward: create a fly that could handle rough currents, frequent hookups, and the kind of hard takes that wild trout are known for.

Matt designed this pattern some years ago now with one goal in mind: durability without complication. The result is a fly that’s simple to tie, tough as nails, and remarkably effective across a range of conditions. From high-gradient Catskill streams to more genteel British waters in Scotland and England, the Double T has proven itself as a versatile workhorse in trout boxes on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fish it like a traditional nymph with a tight line or Euro setup, or swing it like a wet through fast riffles—it’s built to take a hit. The furled Antron body paired with a snug dubbing collar offers the kind of resilience that translates to fish after fish action without a trip back to the bench. As Matt puts it, this fly can take “a beating and a half”—and keep catching.

Materials

Hook: Size 15–10 – J. Stockard J2500 Heavy Scud or TMC 2487 Shrimp & Caddis Pupae Hook
Bead: Cyclops Brass Bead to match hook size
Thread: Wapsi UTC Ultra 70 Denier
Tail: Stripped Goose Biot (Dark Brown or Tan) or Turkey Biot Quills (Dark Brown or Tan)
Body: Antron Yarn – Dark Brown
Collar: Angora Goat Dubbing – Brown

Step 1

Start with selecting a size 16-10 J Stockard J2500 Heavy Scud Hook or TMC 2487 Shrimp & Caddis Pupae Hook and a Cyclops Bead to match hook size. (The heaviest bead the hook will allow).

Step 2

Tie on the thread behind the bead and wrap all the way through to the bend until parallel with the barb. Then wrap back up to mid-way of bend making a small ball of thread in preparation for biot tail buds.

Step 3

Tie in two biots in a “V” shape synching them down as returning your thread to right behind the beadhead.

Step 4

Tie on antron yarn flat behind beadhead and synch it down on the top of the hook shank back to the tail biots. Then return your thread to behind the beadhead (we are using the antron to build body).

Step 5

It’s time to furl! Holding the end of the antron with your hackle pliers begin twisting the antron clockwise until it begins to form a rope, if you go too far it will begin to double over on itself. You want a nice tightrope to work with.

Step 6

Using your furled antron wrap your body with touching tight wraps all the way up the hook shank and tye off behind the beadhead. cut off excess antron.