Balloon Caddis

That drag makes a wake across the surface that fish find hard to leave alone, and you get all of it from three materials.

The one thing I do differently is the dubbing. My squirrel blend has Antron mixed through it, and that changes how the body works. The Antron catches light and traps little air bubbles down in the fibers, so the abdomen sparkles and holds a bit of gas the way a real caddis does when it's emerging or laying eggs. It also adds a touch of flotation below the foam, which keeps the body riding right where you want it.

Foam color is up to you. I tie it in all of them. The foam is really about flotation and keeping the fly visible, so pick what you can see on the water.

Materials

• Hook: TMC 100 12-16
• Thread: Uni 6/0 Camel
• Dubbing: squirrel blend, dark hare's ear
• Wing: Elk hair
• Balloon: 2mm foam

Fish it down and across like a wet fly. Let it dead drift until the line comes tight, then lift the rod tip and give it small twitches so it skates upstream in short skips. The takes usually come on the drag, and they come hard, so keep a firm hold.