Northern Casemaker

I'm getting to the end of the caddis patterns that I want to tie for the 2006 season, and tonight's fly was a representation of the Northern Casemaker pupa. These caddis spend their larval stage encased in sticks and debris, and hatch to become large, pumpkin-colored caddisflies that thump against my office window on fall nights and delight our cats. My reference book calls for sizes #10-18, but the adults I captured this fall all seemed to be around size 12, so I tied a few more of them. The pattern is simple...

Hook: Dai-Riki 270, #10-18
Body: Ginger "Caddis Life Cycle" dubbing
Rib: Brown tying thread
Hackle: Brown hen hackle, tied soft-hackle style
Head: Brown dubbing

You can get much fancier by adding wing buds, antennae, etc., but I don't think it is necessary.

Oh, one more thing....I'm currently reading The Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton. A fantastic book, and great reading for anyone interested in the origins of out sport.