Good Luck Chuck

[Old Hat]

This is a pattern I use as a caddis emerger. I tie them large for steelhead and in trout versions like this one.

Hook: Mustad 3121 #12
Thread: brown gossamer silk
Tail: bleached woodchuck guard hairs
Abdomen: bleached woodchuck underfur rather long so the fibers extend to about mid tail length) in a split thread twist
Thorax: olive woodchuck underfur rather long in a split thread twist
Hackle: coq de leon saddle hackle. Choose a feather with a soft dark hackle around the rachis(similar to a furnace or badger). I measured and wrapped along the hook shank, pulled the hackle fibers forward and tied down behind the eye, then pushed back over the fly when the head is whip finished.



and when wet

[letumgo]

This pattern translates extremely well to the smaller size. The TUE hook retains the character of the larger steelhead version.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Very nice. I like the looks of it dry, but the look of it wet just screams out "Here Fishy, Fishy". Now where did I put that bleached woodchuck?

REE

[Soft-hackle]

Great looking fly, Carl. I need to get to my vise. It' has been a while. I've been so busy.

Mark

[Old Hat]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments. I does look a bit unruly when dry, but wet it really goes to work. I bought some woodchuck in various colors a few years ago and have really grown to like it's properties. It has some great natural marking and the tops of the underfur is quite translucent. I think I purchased the chuck on ebay. But after some searching, I found it in the colors I need at Anglers Den. Or you can by skins from many places and dye or bleach your own. I haven't done it. I have heard it doesn't take dye too easily but can be done.

Here is a link to Angler's Den. I would be interested if anyone knows of other sources for bleached and/or dyed woodchuck.
http://www.anglersden.net/catalogphotos/Fur/index.html

[Joe Billingsley]

Terrific fly.
Looking at the catalog you posted, did you use the woodchuck "face" or the skin? Do you know what the different properties are of the two different skins? Would they be similar to hare?

Joe

[Old Hat]

Joe - I used the skin. It's going to have much longer fibers than the mask and has the necessary underfur your after for the body. You may get some of the longer fibers around neck edge of the mask, I don't know. The fur on a woodchuck is more course than a hare and has prominent variation in color from the skin to the tips. Naturally, it is dark along the skin, then goes to an amber/cream color, dark again and then tipped with light ends. The "creamy middle" is the ends of the underfur mostly (it has some good translucent properties even when dyed) and that is what I used for the body of the fly. I pulled the long underfur out, cut off the dark bases and used the tip ends of the underfur. The mask I think is going to be darker and much shorter hair. It will be more course than that of a hare's mask. I'm sure it is an interesting mask and when I place an order next I am going to pick up a couple.

[kanutripr]

Definitely a "must try".



Vicki

[William Anderson]

carl, the translucency and the marking really make this a very natural looking fly. You'd have to tweek the materials a little to tie it in smaller sizes, but it would certainly make a convincing caddis from an #18 up to a #10. Beautiful.

w