Dry FliesChuck's Caddis Variant
Chuck's Caddis Variant is a highly visible caddis dry fly that combines the proven effectiveness of a deer hair wing with an eye-catching white calf body overwing. This pattern offers anglers the best of both worlds: the natural silhouette of a traditional deer hair caddis with enhanced visibility from the contrasting white overwing. The result is a fly that trout readily accept while remaining easy to track through choppy water and low-light conditions.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Overview
This Charlie Craven pattern from Charlie's Fly Box showcases a clever modification to traditional caddis patterns that addresses one of the most common challenges in dry fly fishing: tracking your fly. The white calf body overwing acts as a subtle sighting post without compromising the natural profile that trout see from below. The ginger variant Antron dubbing creates a fuzzy, translucent body that mimics the soft appearance of natural caddis bodies while the deer hair underwing provides excellent floatation.
Pattern Characteristics
Materials
Hook: Tiemco 921, #14-16
Thread: Semperfli 30 Denier Nano Silk or Veevus 14/0, orange or tan
Body: Antron Dubbing, ginger variant
Underwing: X-Caddis Deer Hair or Humpy Deer Hair
Overwing: Calf Body Hair, white
Hackle: Rooster Cape, tan or march brown grizzly
Fishing Tips
Season
Most effective from spring through fall during caddis activity. Particularly productive during evening caddis hatches when visibility becomes challenging.
Presentation
Fish with a dead drift or add subtle twitches to mimic the skating behavior of natural caddis. The pattern's visibility makes it ideal for longer drifts in complex currents.
When to Use
Select this pattern when fishing caddis hatches in riffled water, pocket water, or any situation where tracking a standard caddis pattern proves difficult. Excellent as an indicator fly in a dry-dropper rig.
Water Type
Designed for moving water, particularly riffles, pocket water, and runs where caddis concentrate. The robust construction handles turbulent water while maintaining an attractive profile.
Rigging Suggestions
Fish on a 9-foot leader tapering to 5X-6X tippet. The enhanced visibility makes this an excellent choice for dry-dropper fishing with a small beadhead nymph.
Visibility & Floatation
The white calf body overwing provides exceptional visibility for the angler while the deer hair underwing and hackle ensure reliable floatation. Dress with floatant before use for best performance.
