How to Tie the Grannom Caddis Pupa

Producer: tightlinevideo

In many areas, the Grannom Caddis hatch is not far off. And in some locations, it can be spectacular. Maybe it’s just me, but I usually do better fishing larval and pupal patterns prior to and even during the hatch, than I do fishing dries. I have high hopes that this pupal imitation, which is a slightly modified version of what worked well for me last year.

The fly starts with a Fulling Mill size 16 5065 barbless Czech nymph hook. After getting the hook firmly secured in the jaws of my tying vise, I load a bobbin with a spool of brown UTC 70. Get the thread started on the hook shank behind the eye and, after taking a few wraps rearward, snip off the excess tag. Then, wind your thread forward, leaving just a little bit of space behind the back edge of the hook eye.

On a chocolate brown pheasant tail feather with nice long fibers, pull down 6-8 fibers perpendicular to the stem, and pull the stem away to free them. Do snip the curly butt ends off, as they have a tendency to catch on everything. Flip the clump around to hold the tips in the fingers of your left hand. Measure the tips to a full hook in length and, while keeping that measurement, begin anchoring the fibers to the top of the hook shank behind the eye. Then, bind the fibers down to the top of the hook shank with touching wraps of tying thread well down into the bend and return your thread 2/3’s of the way back up the shank.

Although not essential, I do like to add some .02 lead-free round wire to help the fly sink a bit faster. So as not to waste wire, I’ll keep the spool in hand and secure the bitter end to the top of the hook shank with tight wraps of thread. I’ll then bring the wire around behind my tying thread and start taking touching wraps rearward with it. After 5 or 6, anchor the wire while it’s perpendicular to the hook shank, then bring it in line with the shank and take wraps of tying thread, while you rock it up and down, until it breaks off. Take thread wraps forward and back to further anchor the wire to the shank.

Small-sized olive soft wire is used to rib and segment the body of the fly, a 6” length is enough to make numerous flies. Anchor one end to the near side of the hook then allow thread wraps to push the wire to the far side of the hook, until you reach the pheasant tail fibers. Return your tying thread forward until it hangs at about the hook point.

Olive-colored rabbit fur dubbing is used to create the abdomen of the fly. Pull an ample clump free from the packet and use it to make a fairly substantial noodle on your tying thread. Start taking wraps with the noodle to build up a plump little abdomen on the fly, that extends just past the midpoint of the hook shank.

Pull the pheasant tail fibers up and forward and give them a little twist so they stay together. Anchor them on top of the hook shank with tight wraps of tying thread, then begin making open spiral wraps with the wire to pin the fibers down and segment the abdomen of the fly. Secure the wire with tight thread wraps, then helicopter to break it off close. Next, pull the butt ends rearward and pin them back with tight wraps of tying thread. The fly should now look something like this.

Dave Whitlock’s red fox squirrel nymph thorax dubbing goes on next, just the smallest of pinches is all that’s needed. This stuff looks amazing, but can be a little difficult to dub. With a short, slender noodle established on your tying thread, take wraps with it to create the thorax of the fly.

Sweep the tips of the pheasant tail fibers back and down, and pin them there with wraps of tying thread, so they look about like this. Trim away any long fibers on top of the thorax, then pull the butt ends of the pheasant tail fibers forward and anchor them behind the hook eye. I like to do 2 wraps over top, then 2 wraps beneath the fibers behind the eye, followed by a few more over top. I really like the look of this fly with just a little nubbin of the butt ends left on. This also ensures that the hook eye stays clear of materials.

Pick up your whip finish tool and use it to do a 4 or 5 turn, back to front whip finish, seat the knot well and snip or cut your tying thread free. If necessary, push up on the pheasant tail fibers to clear the hook eye.

Get hold of your head cement, here Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, and apply a liberal coat to the wing case and the exposed thread wraps. It’s a good idea to make sure the hook eye remains free of obstruction.

And that’s all there is to it. Let’s just hope this year’s Grannom hatch is as awesome as it often is.