How to Tie a Caddisfly for Fishing

Pinch the hook-end of the fish hook into the fly mounting vise so the shaft and eyelet hole point outward from the vise. This will let you wrap the monofilament thread around the shaft to build the fly's body.

Place three inches of thread parallel to the shaft (commonly called the "rib") and begin wrapping the thread to the shaft from the eyelet to the curve of the hook. The thread is one continuous piece; in other words, don't cut a three inch section. Pull three inches from your spool and wrap the shaft.

Wrap the thread back up the shaft to build the body of the fly. Wrap more thread around the center section of the shaft to create an oblong shape, imitating a bug "thorax." End the wrapping near the eyelet, and allow the thread to dangle down to insert the feather-like thread, called the "haggle."

Position the quill of the haggle at the eyelet, not through it, and wrap the thread back down the shaft until the thread reaches the thick body section. This secures the base of the haggle to the fly with about five to seven wraps.

Wrap the haggle down the shaft, over the thick body with 1/16-inch spacing between wraps. As you wrap the haggle, its frills will fan outward from the body to give the fly a hairy appearance. Once the haggle is wrapped to the curve of the hook, wrap the rib (three inch section of thread) up the shaft, to the eyelet, to secure the wrapped haggle to the body of the fly. This extra wrap adds durability to the fly.

Wrap the main thread around the rib five times, then cut away the loose ends of the haggle and rib with scissors. Bunch together a 1/4-inch thickness of elk hair and cut the hair long enough to reach from the eyelet to the curve of the hook. Hold the elk hair with your thumb and forefinger, from the curve end of the hook, and wrap the monofilament thread around the the elk hair 10 to 15 times. Ensure the hair does not protrude beyond the eyelet of the hook. Knot the thread near the eyelet to complete the fly.