Potter's Opal Caddis Tutorial

Looks like it's going to be another beautiful weekend in Northern Michigan for tying flies. One of my favorite all-around attractor flies is the Opal Caddis. The original was just a simple variation on the Elk Hair Caddis with the only major change to the body material. Here, we're going to omit the hackle and tie it as I would for a great deal of Northern Michigan rivers that are fairly calm in nature. We often find flies that offer a better prey image such as parachute style or no hackle dries can be extremely productive on our slower waterways. 

 

MATERIALS

  • Hook: Umpqua 001 (or TMC 100) 12-16
  • Thread: UNI 6/0
  • Body: Opal Mirage Flashabou (or Opal Tinsel)
  • Wing: Bull Elk Hair