The Steelie Caddis is one of my most productive spring steelhead flies, second only to White Death. This pattern imitates the green caddis larvae that inhabit great lake tributaries. This fly is particularly affective for spawning bucks, even when other flies won't work. Try this fly with a dropper (an egg or other caddis pattern) during high water and during low water sigh fishing conditions forgo the dropper (to avoid accidentally snagging fish) and fish on a long, light (4x) leader with no indicator.
Hook: Daiichi 1120 or MFC 9045 size 10-12
Weight: gold beadhead (MFC Gold Brass 1/8" for sz. 12 and 5/32" for sz. 10)
Thread: black 6/0
Body: chartreuse Diamond Braid
Hackle: light brown hen back
Head: black angora
STEP 1: Take a Daiichi 1120 or MFC 9045 and put a gold beadhead on the hook. Attach your black thread and wrap past the tie in point.
STEP 2: Tie in a 6" piece of chartreuse Diamond Braid and wrap the black thread up the shank stopping approx. 1/8" behind the beadhead.
STEP 3: Wrap the diamond braid up to your thread and tie off the material and trim. Make sure you trim the material so there is a short vertical tag of diamond braid.
STEP 4: In the notch you created tie in a tan hen back feather by its tips.
STEP 5: Wrap the hen back 2 times. Tie off the hackle in the notch you created in the diamond braid. Wrap your thread forward to behind the beadhead.
STEP 6: Dub a small head with black angora dub. Make a few wraps and whip finish. Go Fishing!
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| Be sure to tie at least a dozen Steelie Caddis before going fishing. You will many during a day on the water. |
The steelie caddis works great as the point fly in a tandem rig with a egg as the dropper.
On Oct. 1, 2012 tandem rigs are now legal for Lake Erie steelhead tributaries.
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| The Steelie Caddis is the only pattern I've tried that I caught a fish on the first cast. This fish hit on the first cast of the day. |
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| Art with a chautauqua creek hen. |
Tyler Straight
Custom Tied Steelhead Flies
countrykidsonthefly@gmail.com
