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October Caddis Larvae


Hook:   Size 6 Scud hook,  TMC 2457
Thread:  Black 6/0
Body:  Pale yellow to cream colored yarn

  1. Starting just behind the hook eye, lay down a thread base well into the curve, then back to the head.  On some of the flies, I’ll wrap about 8 turns of .020 lead behind the eye, then slide it to the curve and use thread wraps to secure it in place, along with a drop of head cement, to insure that the larvae will drift in a head down position.
  2. Tie yarn in at the eye of the hook, then advance the thread back to the beginning of the curve.
  3. Untwist the yarn and wrap from the eye of the hook to the bend and back to build up an even underbody.
  4. Twist the yarn into a tight cord and wind from the eye to the beginning of the bend.  Tie off and cut off the rest of the yarn.
  5. Tie in 4-5 strands of Peacock herl at the edge of the yarn, and wrap the herl strands about 40-50 times around the thread for additional strength.
  6. Wrap the herl ‘rope’ to form the head/thorax and tie off with 4-5 half hitches or whip finish.
  7. Thorax and Head:  4-5 strands of Peacock herl
Best time of year to fish this larvae, which always drifts head down, is June and July, when they use Behavioral Drift.   Leaving their outgrown cases they drift downstream freely in the current in the afternoons before settling down to build new and larger cases of tiny stones in which they undergo pupation, emerging in October.


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