Goddard Caddis

A while back I had a pm about doing a tute on a Goddard Caddis. Sorry about the delay....but well you know how it is I guess..too busy for my liking. Anyway, I thought I'd finally get to it this morn before doing some yard work.  I'm using 14/0 thread here - kind of like thin thread for 18's on down and especially for tying this pattern. Less likely for the thread to show through the hair. Just wish I had some more of it. Again - sorry for the delay. Great pattern for the riffles.

Materials:
For this pattern (and also elk hair caddis), I like to use coastal deer hair....finer and shorter than regular deer or elk hair but to each his own.



1. Wrap a base of thread to the bend of the hook.



2. Cut off a tuff of hair, take three loose wraps of thread around the clump and while pulling up on the thread on the near side - let the hair spin on the hook. Most times, I've found that when spinning hair on small hooks - the hair will get trapped at the bend when it spins. Just take a bodkin or needle and pick it out. Take two more wraps around the clump and finish off in front of the clump of hair.







3. Repeat this two more times - each time tying in another clump of hair right in front of the previous one - letting it spin.





4. Whip finish off the thread and cut the thread. While using a hackle pliers to hold the hook at the eye or by keeping the fly in the vice (whichever is easier) -  begin trimming the hair. Everyone has their own methods of how to trim but for me I like to start at the hook bend and establish the rear taper first. I use a thin razor blade and begin by sliding the blade from the bottom of the hook bend to the top of the hook shank on a angle. Then I clear the hook gap by trimming close to the hook shank with a pair of scissors. Then trim the rest off with a razor blade - tapering the body towards the rear.











5. Restart the tread when your finished trimming the hair and tie in two pheasant tail tippets. Trim them off and tie in the hackle.





6. Wrap hackle and whip finish off in front of the antenna.