Caddis Chronicles

If you are a trout fisherman, you are probably familiar with this wonderful Catskill style dry fly that Art Flick created several decades ago to imitate the male Hendrickson - Ephemerella subvaria - that hatches in mid April to early May.  In sizes #12 and 14, it does the job very well.  In smaller sizes, #16-18, it is an effective imitation for the Blue Quills and Mahogany Duns and other small, rusty-brown colored mayflies.  You can also use them in sizes #10-12 for the Slate Drake/Isonychia. The bottom line; the Red Quill is one of those dry flies that everyone should have in their box.

 

RECIPE

Hook: Standard Dry Fly -sized per above

Thread: 6/0 Olive

Wing: Woodduck flank fibers - upright and split

Tail: Medium dun hackle fibers

Body: Stripped dark brown hackle stems - coat with head cement for strength and to draw out color. 

Hackle: Medium dun

 

When I tie this fly, I use two hackle stems for the body tied in at the tips and then wrapped together at the same time.  Today's genetic hackle capes tend to have fairly thin stems, so I use the shorter saddle hackles found along the sides of the dry fly cape.  These tend to be a little thicker, so they provide for a nice segmented body.

 

For more info on Art Flick and his flies, there's a nice thread in the fly tying forum at Sparse Grey Matter.   

 

Sharpen your hooks.