Fly Tying Olive Caddis Larva

This is a really easy pattern to tie, that can be tied in a variety of sizes, weights, and color schemes. Today I am showing the Olive version. Tie them up to a size 8, or down to even an 18. The bigger flies can be used as possibly anchors for your nymph rigs, and the smaller flies as droppers. You can tie these without weight, or heavily weighted using lead tape/wire/beads. This pattern is used to imitate any number of free swimming caddis larva, depending on the color scheme. You can alter the abdomen; Tan and Olive produce well. But I always keep the thorax dark. Here's the recipe:

Hook-Scud 8-18
Weight-Lead Wire/Lead Tape/Bead
Thread-Olive
Shellback-Olive Scud Back 1/8"
Rib-Monofilament
Abdomen-Light Olive Dubbing
Thorax-Spiky Squirrel SLF Dubbing, Dark Brown

Click Read More For The Step-By-Step

Put your hook in the vise and put your weight on.

Put some glue on the lead and start your thread.

Build up a taper leading up to the lead at the back, and cover your lead wraps.

Tie in your Monofilament.

Tie in your Scud Back, making sure it is tied in straight.

Start to dub your abdomen.

As you dub, form a taper as you progress up the abdomen.

Dub your thorax, starting to taper down.

Pull your scud back over the top and tie it down tight. Be sure it is towards the tiers side.

Trim the excess, but leave a little tag end in case your thread slips off.

Rib the fly, since the scud back was angled towards you, the scud back will ride on top correctly.

Tie off your mono, and fold back both the scud back and mono. Whip finish.

Stretch scud back and trim, trim mono. Color head to desired color.

Rough up the under side to give the impression of legs. You can use a gun brush or velcro.

Your finished fly.