Dry FliesTriple Threat Caddis
Jim Slattery's caddis pattern pairs a brown partridge hackle with a grey squirrel abdomen ribbed in fine gold oval tinsel, giving it a mottled, buggy profile trout key on during adult caddis activity. A fox squirrel thorax spun in a split thread loop adds translucency and life at the head, making it a solid searching dry through summer caddis hatches on rivers and stillwaters alike.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Tied on a heavy Czech nymph hook rather than a standard dry fly hook, this pattern rides a bit lower in the film than typical caddis imitations, mimicking the low profile of naturals during egg-laying flights. Jim Slattery designed it; the split-thread thorax technique lets the fox squirrel fur flare and trap air for extra buoyancy and sparkle. It's a good choice when caddis are skittering and diving on the surface rather than sitting still, and the soft partridge hackle keeps the silhouette buggy rather than stiff.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- Partridge Authentic Czech Nymph #12 (or equivalent medium-to-heavy scud hook)
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, dark brown
- Rib:
- Oval, gold fine
- Abdomen:
- Grey squirrel
- Hackle:
- Brown partridge
- Thorax:
- Fox squirrel - in split thread
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Adult caddisflies transition through three distinct surface phases—rapid emergence from pupal shucks, brief resting periods with wings fluttering upright, and frantic egg-laying skitters where females dip repeatedly to deposit eggs. Trout opportunistically switch between feeding modes as they encounter insects in each vulnerable stage throughout the hatch cycle.
Where Trout Eat It: Surface layer in riffles and runs, focusing on current seams where emerging pupae concentrate and foam lines where spent adults accumulate after egg-laying activity.
How to Fish It: Dead-drift through feeding lanes during emergence periods, then add sharp twitches during egg-laying activity to imitate the erratic skittering behavior that triggers aggressive surface strikes.
Best Water: Riffle edges and pocket water where caddis pupae ascend, tail-outs below productive runs, and foam lines accumulating spent adults after evening egg-laying flights.
Strike Type: Expect visible splashy rises during active emergence or confident sipping takes when imitating spent adults in calm tail-outs.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-11 foot leader with 4X or 5X tippet. Apply floatant to maintain buoyancy, or fish ungreased for emerging patterns.
Seasonal Timing: Highly effective from April through October during caddis hatches, with peak performance May through August when multiple caddis species are active simultaneously.
Pro Tips: The name refers to its ability to imitate adult, emerger, and spent caddis stages. Vary presentation speed to match observed insect behavior.
Entomology
Caddisflies exhibit multiple vulnerable life stages in quick succession including the pupal ascent, surface emergence, and adult egg-laying flights. Fish feed opportunistically across all three stages, making caddis hatches particularly productive feeding windows.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
