TYING A GOLD HEAD BUCKSKIN CADDIS
Ed Marsh invented Buckskin Caddis back in the 1970s. It is a simple fly with few materials and does not require many tying skills. Still, it is a very lifelike imitation of the caddis larva. The fish seems to agree with that. Here we will show step-by-step how to tie an upgraded version of the Buckskin Caddis, the Gold Head Buckskin Caddis.
Materials for Gold Head Buckskin Caddis
| Part: | Materials: | Size/Color: |
| Hook: | Akita | AK788BL #12 |
| Bead: | Brass Bead | Gold 2.8 mm |
| Weight: | Lead Wire | 0.010” |
| Thread: | Veevus | Black 14/0 |
| Body: | Caddis Skin | Natural |
| Hackle: | CdC | Medium Dun |
| Thorax: | Ice Dub | UV Black |
Video Instructions on How to Tie a Gold Head Buckskin Caddis
Video coming soon.Slideshow on How To Tie a Gold Head Buckskin Caddis
Step 1 – Build up the Body
Put the bead onto the hook and secure it with a few wraps of lead wire. The lead wire will also add some weight and help to taper the fly. Tie in your tying thread, secure the lead and make a tapered body. Make even wraps until you reach a point down the hook’s bend. Tie in a strip of buckskin. Take your tying thread back towards the thorax area of the caddis larva. The thorax should have approximately the same length as the gold bead. Make even wraps with the buckskin. Tie it off and remove any excess.
Step 2 – Make the Hackle and Thorax
Tie in a CdC feather by the tip. The shiny side should face you. Make 1 to 2 wraps to make a CdC hackle. This hackle will give the impression of the legs and even a bursting casing of the nymph. Tie off the CdC feather and remove any excess. Make a small dubbing noodle with the Ice Dub. Make a few wraps with the dubbing noodle to build up the thorax area of the nymph. Complete the fly with a whip finish or a few half-hitches and some varnish.
How to Fish the Gold Head Buckskin Caddis
The fish is eating caddis larva all the time, and this is a fly you can use in most situations. Cast it upstream and let it dead drift when you are blind casting or present it to fish you have spotted. The nymph is a lifelike imitation of the caddis larva, so most fish will not be able to resist it.
