If I wasnt getting ready to hit the road (vacation) in a few minutes I would give a long winded account of red dubbing mixed with Hares Ear that produces for me on the Roaring Fork."
letumgo wrote:
"Wayne - Can you give us that account, now that you're back from vacation?"
You have a very good memory Ray! Yes, I will try to recount the development of this fly.
In my neck of the woods (Western Colorado) Red has always been a favorite color for midge pupa and larva. Usually in sizes 24 thru 18. A few years ago Red became a very popular color fo Pheasant Tail Nymphs. I dont know why, but it did. Charlie Craven did a tutorial on another web page on a Red PT, and I had to duplicate, then tweek it a bit.
The Red PT worked fairly well in sizes 18 thru 20, but not so well that I carry alot of them with me at any given time. Saying that, there is a spot on the Roaring Fork that my buddy named Red PT Run because when the stars were aligned perfectly one afternoon he watched me slay the fish there. With the Red PT.
I know this thread is named Red Cased Caddis. I am getting there!!!!
Now being the rocket scientist I think I am, it wasnt that far of a stretch to think if the Red PT works, a Red Hares Ear will work too. I had the Red PT feathers, and the Red synthetic wool. What the heck? My next couple of trips to the rivers found me carrying a half doz. Red Hares Ears. I had pretty good days on the rivers and the Red Hares ear was on the entire time. You guessed it, not one fish on it. The confidence level in that fly went down the drain, and to this day I have never tyed it again.
A nymph patten that does fish well for me is a cased caddis my son developed.
Hook- Mustad 9671
Thread- Brown or Black Uni 8/0
Tail- Guard hairs off a Natural Hares Mask
Rib- Small Copper wire
Body- natural Hares Ear
Collar- Black Ostritch Herl
I was tying a couple dozen of these nymphs up as they are great producers for me in the Fall and early Winter months, especially on the Roaring Fork and upper Colorado rivers. I had maybe a dozen tyed when I layed my bundle of Hares ear dubbing on a bundle of Red synthetic wool that I had used for the Red Hares Ears. You know, kinda like how chocolate meets peanut butter in the commercials?
Thats how my red Cased Caddis came to life. Purely by accident. I wont say it out produces other Cased Caddis patterns, but for me, on my home waters it's a winner. Since the accident of making the pattern I have added a small brown hen hackle in front of the Ostritch collar, and that small addition has made the pattern more versatile, and productive year round
Hook- Mustad 9671 sizes 16-12
Thread- Brown or Black Uni 8/0
Tail- Guard hairs off a Natural hares Mask
Rib- Small Copper wire
Body- natural hares Ear and Red synthetic dubbing (2/3 Hares ear 1/3 Red)
Collar- Black Ostritch Herl, with small Brown Hen Hackle in front of that.
A pic of the dubbings used. I am guessing 2/3 to 1/3
Red Cased Caddis
BTW I dug out my old Canon camera. It's a A550 and has a macro setting. It's beat to death from packing it a couple years on the rivers, but I am able to take some fly pics with it.
