The Clown Shoe Caddis is a high floating, easy to see caddis imitation. It can be used by itself or in a two fly combination where is serves as an indicator for a smaller dry fly or a dropper such as the Rainbow Warrior described in this section of the website. Jay Zimmerman from Boulder, Colorado developed the pattern.

Tying Materials:

hook: TMC 2487 or other curved dry fly hook

thread: olive 8/0, black 8/0

abdomen: small clear or olive v-rib

wing: light elk or deer hair

thorax: black super fine dubbing

hackle: grizzly saddle

indicator: McFlyFoam in cerise or hot orange

Tying Instructions:

Cover hook shank with olive thread. Tie in v-rib at slightly more than the half way point and wrap thread over rib partway over the bend of hook. Wrap thread forward then using touching wraps, form abdomen with v-rib, then cut off excess v-rib, whip finish and cut off olive thread. Tie in black thread. Remove and stack a clump of elk or deer hair and tie in so tips reach curve of hook. Tie in hackle feather just in front of where v-rib ends, then tie in a clump of McFlyFoam on top of fly and post the clump with thread. Use dubbing to form thorax behind and in front of foam. Wrap hackle behind and in front of foam and tie off, then form a thread head and whip finish. Now stretch foam and cut off top to form the indicator. Also use scissors to cut hackle fibers from bottom of the fly. See video of Clown Shoe Caddis.

Royal Coachman

Tyer Comments:

This attractor pattern will take trout, bass and panfish. This pattern
floats like a cork and is easy to spot on the surface of the water.

Hook: TMC 200 3R, sizes 8 through 16
Thread: brown 6/0 or 8/0
Tail: golden pheasant tippets
Abdomen: 1/3 peacock herl, 1/3 red floss, 1/3 peacock
Wing: yellow kiptail, split for two wings
Hackle: brown

Tying Instructions

1) Cover hook with thread, 2) tie in tail, 3) next cover thread in front of hook with epoxy
(or hard as nails) then tie in kiptail hair wings and divide in two with figure 8 turns of
tying thread, 4) tie in 4 strands of peacock herl at tip of abdomen and wrap forward, then
red floss, then finish abdomen with peacock, 5) tie in brown hackle between peacock and
wings and wrap 6-8 times behind wing and then 4-5 wraps in front of wing, 6) finally
whip finish and cover thread with head cement. This video for beginners shows steps to tie the Royal Coachman.

Winged Foam Beetle

Submitted By Skip Nault

Tyer Comments:

Foam beetle great for bluegill and pan fish and especially effective
on streams during summer-time for trout.

Materials

Hook: #10 dry fly
Thread: black
Underbody: 3 strands peacock herl or peacock chenille
Body: Black 2mm foam
Head: black 2mm foam
Other: Round rubber legs & red or orange foam for indicator, yellow antron wing.

Tying Instructions

Cut a piece of 2mm black foam the with of the hook gap and the length of the hook.
Tie in on hook shank above barb, then tie in peacock under body 2/3 way up the
hook. Fold over black foam and tie in at 2/3 point. Tie in round rubber legs on each
side and finish by tying in antron yellow wing and bright colored indicator foam on top, whip finish and you are done!