Hackle Stacker Caddis

[Jonny 0]

Hi -- First time posting a fly here. This pattern was very effective for me during the 2006 season. It has a deer or elk hair down wing split by a hackle stacker loop (a la Bob Quigley) pulled through the wing and tied down at the head. The body is either a biot or dubbing and the thorax is usually peacock. I originally tied it as a spent adult caddis (like a delta wing) but I think it also doubles as a cripple. With all the great hackle colors available now -- especially the crazy Hebert Champagnes, etc. -- you can get some nice color effects mixing the hackle in with the deer hair. Here are two versions from side and then top/bottom views. Hope you guys like it!

 

Jonny

 

 

[Bugsy 0]

So the new guy's a show off, eh?:flex:

 

Seriously, somewhere between very nice and flawless.

 

If you're gonna be posting work like this, you'd better be planning on sending some tutorials to Will.

[Joe Hard 0]

Very nice. I like them a lot, have you skated them across the surface? The split wing reminds me of a caddis about to take flight

[Soft-hackle 0]

Ready for action. This fly looks great.

 

Mark

[letumgo 0]

fishy goodness.

[Rkayser 0]

forgive my ignorance, but what is a hackle stacker loop, and how do you make one?

 

Rob

[siestafred 0]

How soon can I get 2 dozen assorted sizes ? :hyst:

Seriously great looking fly. Ditto on how to tie a hackle stacker loop....

 

:headbang:

[Jonny 0]

Thanks, fellas. As far as skating it, I've mostly fished it dead drift, although I did get a nice brown on the main Delaware dragging it under after a drift. All the hair and hackle is on top of the hook, so I don't know if it will skate as well as hackled patterns, like an Elk Hair, Vermont Caddis, Skater or the like. Worth a try. As far as what a "hackle stacker loop" is, pardon the tying-speak. Hackle stackers use a different way of hackling, distinct from parachutes or conventially hackled patterns. Basically, you tie in a loop of fine mono (7x in this case) or 3/0 thread and post it upright, wrap a hackle up and then down the loop, preen the fibers back , and then pull the hackled loop over the thorax. Bob Quigley (of Quigley Cripple fame) calls them hackle stackers; Ian Moutter, who wrote a whole book on the topic, calls them "paraloops." Others, such as Ned Long and Jim Cramer, also "invented" similar techniques. I think there is a thread on this technique in the main tying forum. If you Google "hackle stacker" or go to Harry Mason's "trout flies" site, you'll find good instructions for the technique. Better yet, purchase the DVD "Tying Bob Quigley's Signature Flies" and you'll see the technique in action by one of the inventors. It's a great method, and has revolutionized dryflies for me. Check them out.

 

Jonny

[fly time 0]

Great looking fly!!! :headbang: and thanks for the info as well!!!

 

 

Dustin

[vices 0]

Very nice tye, i use elk wings almost exclusively.. This ones definatly making it to my personal stash, Great fly Jonny :cheers:

[Guest]

Lovely flies, Jonny,

That could be excellent as an egglayer too.

I do like the design principle. It looks durable and effective.

 

I just might tie up a bunch.

Thanks for the split-wing idea

 

Roy

[Jonny 0]

Thanks, Roy. I am a big admirer of your patterns, which I first discovered on Hans's site. Your technique, from what I recall, isn't really a hackle stacker, but does share some of the same principles of hackle on top, I think. I've tied some reversed patterns like yours and hope to fish them this year. So ... thank you for the ideas you've shared through the years.

 

Jonny

[picketpin 0]

Great looking fly keep um coming

Tight lines Mike

[Chad Trout 0]

I am curious do you perform a dubbing loop twist with the deer or elk and then lay it over the thorax to get the hackle stacker. I am used to using hackle to to get the hackle stacker, but deer or elk I am curious.

 

[Jonny 0]

Chad -- Nope. The hackle stacker loop is the typical hackle wound around a loop of mono, and I then use that loop to pull through the deer hair to split it. In other words, the sequence is: (1) tie in the body to 2/3 of the shank; (2) create the stacker loop, wrap the hackel and tie off; (3) tie in a single downwing of deer/elk hair and wrap down the butts cleanly; (4) tie in a peacock or darker dubbed thorax to near the hook eye; (5) divide the deer hair wing with a bodkin and pull the hackle stacker loop through the divide, tying it down tightly at the hook eye. I hope that's clear, because in the picture, and on the actual fly, the hackle fibers and deer hair kind of visually merge into eachother, especially if you use a tannish/brownish hackle. Grizzly pops out more. Thanks for the interest, and any more questions, just ask.

 

Jonny