Dry FliesLeadhead
Hans van Klinken's Leadhead builds a caddis or mayfly profile around a lead-shot underbody pinched onto a mono core, then dubs squirrel fur dyed brown-olive into a split thread for a spiky body. Brown partridge fibers splay out as legs, and a butt of green plastic ribbon from a produce bag gives it a bright accent.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Van Klinken's use of lead shot lashed to monofilament, rather than wrapped directly on the shank, lets him control weight placement precisely along the hook. The squirrel dubbing, spun in a split thread, gives the body a rough, mobile texture that partridge legs complement well. The produce-bag ribbon butt is a small, resourceful touch that adds a bright accent without buying specialty material. It's a distinctive tie worth having in the box as a caddis or mayfly imitation built with van Klinken's own weighting technique.
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Materials
- Hook:
- Medium wire #12
- Thread:
- Gudebrod 6/0, black
- Weight:
- Lead shot (or substitute), pinched onto section of monofilament (12lbs/0.30mm)
- Butt:
- Narrow green plastic ribbon taken from a produce bag
- Legs:
- Brown partridge
- Body:
- Squirrel, dyed brown-olive - inserted into split thread
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Surface adults drift with characteristic wing positions, occasionally twitching or skating to initiate flight. Bright heads may suggest egg sacs or anatomical features.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish target adults in the upper 6 inches, focusing on feeding lanes and foam lines.
How to Fish It: Dead drift through productive zones with occasional twitches to add lifelike movement.
Best Water: Seams, tail-outs, foam lines, and riffle edges where surface prey accumulates.
Strike Type: Confident strikes as fish respond to the distinct head contrast and natural drift.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12 foot leader tapering to 5X tippet for delicate presentations. Apply floatant to the body and hackle.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective during peak feeding periods at dawn and dusk. Water temperatures between 45-65°F typically produce best results.
Pro Tips: The dubbed head provides both weight for better casting turnover and a realistic silhouette. This pattern fishes well in faster currents where standard dry flies struggle to maintain position.
Entomology
Adult caddis dive beneath the surface to attach egg masses directly to submerged rocks and vegetation, then swim back up through the water column with characteristic undulating motions. Trout feed on these ovipositing caddis during their underwater excursions because the insects are completely vulnerable while submerged, and their swimming motions mimic wounded prey that triggers aggressive strikes.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
