My Top Producing Caddis Pattern

Above photo: Biot Wing caddis on a #16 TMC 531, a staple 
summer pattern that I always carry.

There are some fly patterns that I carry all the time; my Biot Wing Caddis pattern is one of them. I have been avidly using this fly for a quarter century or more, and it has caught hundreds of fish on sizes ranging from #14 down to #22. The fly utilizes a matching pair of biots cut and tied in to create a perfect little tent over a CDC underwing. This fly floats like a cork, and when fished over very educated and weary trout, it outperforms everything in my arsenal. When the adults are on the water, and even when they are not, this fly, in larger sizes, is a wonderful search pattern for spring creeks and meandering, technical water.

Above photo: Tying this fly down to a #22 is not difficult 
and makes for a deadly micropattern.


Above photo: You can tie this pattern in a myriad of colorways, including tan, olive green, dusky gray, and yellow ochre for fall caddis.

I have done quite a few entries on this fly, and I get a lot of emails regarding the biot wings. The biots are quite sturdy, but you need to select the biots in the middle of the feather on the leading edge. This is important because biots too far up or too far below the feather tend to be too soft. The middle of the feather is where you get the most durable and consistent tapers on both right and left fibers. When dying or preparing the biots, make sure you keep the right and left biots separated. This way, you don't have to search for right and left orientations every time you're tying up a set of wings. You always want to keep the natural rib on the fiber facing up. As seen in the photo above. The wing itself has the advantage over duck wings or other types of feather fibers because the biot does not split like feather fibers do. The tent-like geometry of the wing traps air between both biots and makes for a very long-lasting buoyant fly, especially when using CDC as an underwing.

~Biot Wing Caddis~
Hook: TMC 531 or Partridge Ideal Standard
Thread: UTC Ultra 70
Abdomen: Kapok mixed with Squirrel SLF
Wing: Dyed biot x2 left and right orientations
Underwing: CDC
Hackle: Dun
Antennae: Teal fibers
Thorax: Kapok mixed with Squirrel SLF

Thanks for letting me share!
Clint Bova



 

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