Double wonderwing caddis

Double wonderwing caddis

Fly: Henk Verhaar, Photograph: Hans Weilenmann
Hook:	Standard dry fly hook, here TMC 900BL
Thread:	UNI, size 8/0
Body:	Dry fly dubbing, colour to match
Hackle:	Brown, reasonable dry fly quality, fiber (barbule) length about 1.5 times hook gape
Rib:	Fine copper wire, e.g. from disk drive motors or other miniature electric motors
Wings and antennae:	Two wonderwings, tied downwing, tentstyle, from low grade cock hackle (indian capes), color to match

I first tied this pattern for the 'Caddis '99' swap, for which I tried to come up with something different. I have no idea how common, or uncommon the double wonderwing style is for caddis patterns, but I've never seen one before. It is a nice alternative style, offering 'free' antennae, just as the traditional wonderwing style in mayfly patterns offers 'free' tails.

Tying instructions:

Up to tying in the wings this is a simple pattern. Attach tying thread, bring to bend and tie in the rib. Dub a rather cylindrical abdomen, about 4/5 of the shank length. Tie in the body hackle by the butt (butt barbules clipped), just in front of the abdomen. Wrap the hackle back in open turns. At the bend, trap the feather with the ribbing, and bring the ribbing forward in open turns, counterwinding and securing the hackle (note, when wrapping one material backward and the next forward, wrapping in the same direction (front, over, back, under) automatically produces a counterwound effect). Clip a 60-90 degree 'vee' from the barbules on top of the fly, to accomodate the wings.

Now we're ready to tie in the wings. Select two large, webby feathers from a cheap skin. Prepare the feathers, one at a time, by separating the tip section barbules (top 1/5th or so) from the rest by stroking back the lower barbules. Wetting your fingers with saliva helps in keeping thoes barbules in that downward direction. Measure the needed wing lenght along the feather rachis (stem), from the point where you separated the barbules down, then clip off the butt at this length. Keep the barbules pointing down, wetting them again if needed. Make sure the upper part of this wing (the part with the stem, and the doubled fibers) forms a nice, teardrop shaped wing. Hold this wing on top of the shank with your left, or non-thread, hand, wing pointing backward, free barbules extending in front of the heek eye, under a 30-45 degree angle (i.e. forming one side of a tent wing), and secure in this position with 2 or three wraps. Do the same with the other feather, forming the other side of the tent wing; the upper edges of the two wings should meet. Clip out all barbules not needed for the antennae (about 2/3 or 3/4 of the clump extending forward), clipping as short as possible, bring the thread in front of the antennae and cover the butts. Whip finish between the antennae and the eye.

Tying thiswing style makes for some initial frustration; be prepared! Back to Thumbnails