This video is the first in a series of tying tutorials for flies I added to my boxes in 2023 that I now consider confidence flies. This first video teaches you to tie the Foam Front End Loader Caddis which I have used in several on the water videos over the last year. The Foam Front End Loader Caddis substitutes several materials used in the original Front End Loader Caddis and adds a foam back in order to increase buoyancy. This fly floats just a bit better and holds up a tungsten bead nymph a little easier than the original pattern. I've still caught plenty of fish on it as well, so it isn't just an indicator fly.
This fly is also now produced by Fulling Mill and is available from our shop at this link.
Here is a list of materials and tools used in the video with links to buy them in our store.
- Hook: Fulling Mill 5050 sizes 12-14 or Dohiku 301 sizes 10-14
- Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 brick beige or Uni 8/0 rusty dun
- Hot Spot Tag: Glo Brite Chartreuse
- Foam Back: Hareline Hi Float Foam 2mm in tan or hopper tan or MFC High Rise Foam 2mm in tan, gold, or light olive. A different color could also be substituted since the foam is mostly hidden by the underbody.
- Body: Semperfli Micro Fritz tan.
- Wing: EP Trigger Point Fibers caddis gray medium, Hareline Para Post tan, or Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn Tan.
- Indicator Post: Hareline Para Post hot pink or orange or Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn fl orange or fl pink.
- Hackle Core: Small Hareline Life Flex tan. Other colors would work as well since the core is hidden.
- Hackle: Grizzly Whiting 100 pack or Metz Hackle Select. Choose the size to match your hook as I talk about in the video.
Tools used:
- Glue: Loctite brush on superglue
- Bobbin: Tiemco ceramic. Here is a link to our other bobbins as well.
- Scissors: Tiemco Razor Tungsten Carbide. Here is a link to our other scissors as well.
- Whip Finisher: Here is a link to our whip finishers. I used the Dr. Slick.
- Vise: Stonfo Elite Vise