Adapted from A. K.'s Fly Box by A. K. Best

Have you ever seen a caddis larva with a fuzzy body? I mean the live, natural bug? Neither have I.

Yet every caddis larva imitation in every fly shop in the country has a dubbed body. There have been a few attempts to use latex strips for caddis larva bodies, but latex seems to self-destruct in the fly box.

A dozen or more dubbing blends have come on the market in as many years that claim to be the ultimate answer for all our dubbing needs. If anyone tries to convince you of this, turn around and walk away.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

A genuine caddis larva.

A"market the sparkle" philosophy seems to run rampant through the fly-fishing industry these days. The newer man-made dubbing materials are marketed as having "Improved Translucence", "Ultra Translucence", or as "Ultra-fine", "Super Fine", and on and on. Pick up any package of dubbing at your favorite fly shop and you'll see what I mean. Ask yourself, "Ultra from what?" "Improved from what?" "Super over what?" I can understand "Improved" because according to Webster, it means "to enhance in value or quality." Simply raising the price could be interpreted as enhancing the value. But "Super"? Webster says "super" means "over and above" or "higher in quantity, quality, or degree than." Putting a pinch more dubbing in a bag makes it super. Webster defines "ultra" as "going beyond others or beyond due limit." Everyone can't be going beyond others, though, and just what exactly is the due limit?

Here's the kicker: "translucent" means "permitting the passage of light." "Translucency" is "something that is transparent!" It sounds like we're being encouraged to use materials that will not only make a fly fuzzier, but allow the trout to see the hook as well!

A Caddis Quill Larva.

So what's the point? Simply this: Caddis fly larvae are not fuzzy. Their prominently segmented bodies reflect a lot of light, but they are not transparent. I understand that the idea of adding sparkle fibers to a dubbing mix is to give the appearance of translucence, but when we win the translucence battle, we lose the war of creating a realistic silhouette. Dubbed bodies are invariably too fat and fuzzy. Nymph, larva, and pupa imitations are presented to the trout at their eye level. Why not use a material that more accurately simulates the natural? Why not use a material that is easier and faster to tie? A material that you can dye to any color imaginable. Why not use stripped and dyed rooster hackle quills or dyed wild turkey blots?

Caddis Quill Larva

I've tried to improve Gary LaFontaine's Caddis Pupa patterns dozens of times, and I cannot. They are as near to perfect as artificials can be without impaling naturals on bare hooks. Follow his tying instructions and material requirements very carefully and you'll have Caddis Pupae for all your needs. Be very careful to tie them a little on the sparse side. They're moving, subsurface flies, and will not behave like naturals if they're dressed heavily.

Hook: Mustad 3906 or 3906B or Tiemco 2OOR, #18-#12.
Thread: Danville's 6/0, or Uni-Thread; color to match body.
Body: Stripped and dyed 7"-8" rooster butt hackle quill.
Hackle: Ostrich, dyed appropriate color (black or brown). Clip off the top fibers.
Head: Brown or black.

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