Front End Loader Caddis Fly Tying Tutorial

While fishing during practice for the 2013 World Fly Fishing Championships in Norway, I encountered fish taking dries in flat water but also found I needed to hold up a heavy tungsten dropper. To get a caddis dry that floated flush with the water but held up a nymph well, I added a stacked hackle to the front. The Front End Loader Caddis has since become my favorite caddis dry for holding up a dropper while still having the capability of convincing some tougher fish to eat.

[@cs1089]

Used this fly in October on a small stream in Colorado in October and caught many small browns with it. I was a little surprised since there were no hatches or caddis I could detect on this pretty cold day. Was using it as a dry dropper but then cut off the dropper when I realized the browns were more interested in it than the small nymph that was behind it. Great pattern!

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Glad it worked for you. I caught some fish on it today as well. There hasn't been a caddis around for several months but thankfully a few fish still can't resist it.

[@pauledison6958]

instablaster

[@mikemclane7239]

You taught an "Old Dog" a lot of new tricks.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Hopefully they help you out on the water.

[@arthurstrauss2435]

Used this fly (with/without dropper) on the Kern River creeks - caught over 40 Goldens/bows over 2 days! Now I have to learn how to tie it in size 16/18. (Art/Long Beach Casting Club)

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Thanks for the report Art. Glad it worked for you!

[@jackkingsborough1898]

Perfect

[@irideaduck939]

Trying to leave yourself space to tie in the hackle in the last step was more difficult than expected. I was able to get one tied up. I don't recall in the Euro Nymphing video or on your blog about how to fish dry's ... are you using the mono set-up and keep all of the line off of the water? Mark

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

I fish dry dropper with this fly on a Euro rig a lot. Check out my blog post on dealing with the wind on a Euro rig.

[@davidmcpeak8327]

Devin- will we be able to eventually look at all you "older posts" such as Dealing with Wind?

[@1212streamer]

When you wrap the hackle back down, how do you secure the hackle. All I saw was you wrapping it back down and securing the feather into a material clip, and eventually clipping the waste away. How was it secured? Nice fly.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Once you pull the “post” tight and tie it down, the pressure of the hackle against the body of the fly holds the hackle in place.

[@FlorianWerner]

Great fly - I tried to tie my first one today... tricky part when you come to the hackle... not sure I wrapped enough turns... seems a bit spares... anyway, cant wait to try it out. Actually the fly reminds me of a french (?) pattern called the Tabanas except that one has a deerhair body and a std parachute (I think).

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

The hackle stacker part takes some getting used to for sure Florian but with some repetition it becomes a lot easier. I fish the pattern a lot like the Tabanas.

[@FlorianWerner]

I am still unsure how the hackle actually holds as I didn't tie it off. But it holds... sofar :)

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

The pressure of the hackle and post against the body keeps it from unraveling. As long as the post doesn't pull out or the quill doesn't break I've never had one unravel.

[@FlorianWerner]

What is the smallest you tie this pattern?

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Florian Werner 16 but mostly 10-14

[@frankwestphal4525]

I’ve been looking for what this pattern is called for half a year. Caught my pb cutthroat on it last summer

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

You can read more about it at this link www.tacticalflyfisher.com/blog/front-end-loader-caddis-fly-tying-tutorial/

[@benpack8361]

Is the hackle not secured in any other way after wrapping around the tippet? Is it only trapped down when the tippet is pulled down?

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Ben Pack correct. As long as the tippet stays locked it place it won’t pull out.

[@jdigioia1130]

Interesting technique.

[@brycewestmoreland8179]

First attempt at tying was on size 16. Never showing that fly to anyone.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Bryce Westmoreland 😁