submitted by Skip Nault

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.