To properly learn the techniques and flies presented in this website, work your way through the Basic Skills sections and then do the listed flies in the recommended order. Each fly builds on previously learned skills. They become harder as you move along. Make sure you build several of each fly to solidify your skills at each step.

Importance to Fly Fishing

When caddisflies emerge, they move rapidly to the surface. There they are ready for flight in very short order. If fish wish to feed on caddisflies they need to be quick or else the food is gone. Therefore they strike quickly and dramatically. If you have the correct pattern on at this time, you are in for an exciting experience.

When a Caddis wet fly is needed, tie the Carey Special with a green body. A caddis pupae has its legs and immature wings beneath its body as it swims to the surface. If you wish the Carey Special to more closely imitate a Caddis pupae, clip the hackle off the top. This leaves the remaining hackle beneath the fly giving the impression of the legs and immature wings located there.

The Carey Special is another pattern that can be tied in many variations to represent other aquatic foods. The hackle at the front remains the same but the body can be varied. Try different colours. Add a tail, Tie the body with just silver or gold tinsel.

In the Basic Skills sections you learned how to

• smash down the barb
• put the hook in the vice
• start the thread

Please do the above. Make sure the thread is at the bend of the hook.

Next you will tie in some tinsel. Please note the following: some tinsels are gold on one side and silver on the other. If you want the silver side to show, you need to place the tinsel on the hook so the gold side is facing out. As you start to wrap, the tinsel will flip over and the silver side will show.

Cut off a piece of silver tinsel about 6 cm long. Lay the tinsel along the shank of the hook and tie it in using the Pinch. (see Basic Skills, section 5, Tying in the materials). Wrap the thread around the length of the tinsel and wind it back to the bend of the hook.

Now cut off a piece of green chenille about 10 cm long. Place the chenille along the shank of the hook. Leave about 4 mm of bare hook behind the eye. You will need this extra space when tying on the hackle. Again use the pinch method to secure this material. (for a beginner It is easier to have extra chenille projecting past the eye. Once tied in the excess can be snipped off.)

Tie down the material along the length of the shank. Wrap the thread to the bend of the hook. Make sure the materials are cinched in one last time at the bend of the hook.

Then wrap the thread forward so it is about 4 mm behind the eye. You will need this extra space when tying in and wrapping the hackle at the front.

Wrap the chenille forward, tie it off and snip off the excess.

Wrap the tinsel forward. Space your wraps so there are 4 wraps by the time you reach the tie off point. Resist making more than 4 wraps. Remember, there should be more chenille showing than tinsel. Tie off the tinsel and snip off the excess.

Now refer to section 9 in the Basic Skills area (Preparing and Wrapping a wet fly hackle). There you will learn how to properly select a hackle, prepare it, attach it, wrap it and finish it off.

Here the hackle is attached.

Once the hackle has been wrapped, build a thread head. Secure with 5 half hitch knots, snip the thread and add head cement.

Here is the completed Carey Special.

Click Here for more Caddisfly patterns

Teacher Support Materials for this Section

How to Fish the Carey Special

How to Troll Flies