Eric Leiser–the well known fly tier, author, and angler who passed away last year–is best known for two patterns that he popularized, the Chuck Caddis and the Llama. Leiser claimed that he had originated neither fly, but he promoted them in magazine articles and books. According to Mike Valla, in his book The Founding Flies, Leiser created the Chuck Caddis based on a pattern called the Eddy’s Fly, which Gary Borger had sent to him. The Chuck Caddis uses woodchuck hair, one of Leiser’s favorite materials.
In this great video, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions shows you how to tie the Chuck Caddis, which uses just three or four natural materials. Note the way that Tim chooses and prepares the woodchuck for best results, and the heavy hackle collar is reinforced with thread wraps.
Chuck Caddis
Hook: Standard or black dry-fly hook (here, a Fulling Mill 35050), size 14.
Thread: Black, 6/0 or 70-denier.
Body: Natural hare’s mask dubbing.
Wing: Woodchuck guard hairs, cleaned and stacked.
Hackle: Brown and grizzly, or a single cree or dark-barred dun hackle.
Tools: Plunger-style hackle pliers, whip-finish tool, hobby knife.