Mad Caddis
A bead head dry fly might seem “mad” but this pattern is actually named for my favorite fly tying partner. Considering the trout attracting power of bead head nymphs, I thought why not bring some flash to surface patterns. The bead emulates the light focused by the surface tension dimples created by the insect’s feet on the water surface. Plastic beads are light and can be supported by most standard floatation techniques. The beads can be purchased in a craft store, but don’t come counter drilled, so you may need to do this yourself. My experience has been that these bead head dry flies work on the dead drift or skated across the surface.