Breadcrust
Breadcrust
The original recipe calls for ruffed grouse tail feathers in the red phase and these are virtually impossible to find. Substitute the red tail feather from a Hungarian partridge. Substitutions are completely legitimate in tying. Either more modern materials, which can be improvements or some old materials that are not available or not responsible caretaking to use, are very appropriate.
HOOK : Tiemco 5262, size 10,12,14,16,18
THREAD : Danville 6/0 black
Abdomen : Underbody black thread, red tail feathers
Thorax : same as above
Hackle : Grizzly hen
The original recipe calls for ruffed grouse tail feathers in the red phase and these are virtually impossible to find. Substitute the red tail feather from a Hungarian partridge. Substitutions are completely legitimate in tying. Either more modern materials, which can be improvements or some old materials that are not available or not responsible caretaking to use, are very appropriate.
HOOK : Tiemco 5262, size 10,12,14,16,18
THREAD : Danville 6/0 black
Abdomen : Underbody black thread, red tail feathers
Thorax : same as above
Hackle : Grizzly hen
- Begin selecting a red tail feather. Hold the tip and stroke the barbs making them extend at a right angle from the stem. Trim the length of the barbs to about one sixteenth for both side. Cut straight as possible. Soak the stem in water as you do the next step. The longer it soaks the better.
- Mount the hook and begin with tight touching and then overlapping turns advancing from above the hook barb to the two thirds mark. Continue making wraps to form the caddis cigar shaped body. Once the shape is complete let the bobbin hang at the hook barb.
- Don’t panic, this is not as hard as it sounds. Remove the red tail stem from the water and using a razor blade split away the inside of the stem. That is, the dull side of feather barbs. Begin by gently aligning the razor with the stem, inserting with light pressure and push the barb into the blade. The idea is to remove the white pulpy material from inside the stem to make it flexible enough to wind on to the hook. Split the stem down to a reasonable length of stem. Soak again for as long as possible. Do this step for as many as you are planning to tie at the time. After this process the tie is simple and quick.
- Tie in the red tail feather, advance the bobbin to the two thirds mark and let the bobbin hang
- Wrap the red tail feather to form the abdomen and thorax. While it is not touching turns it should still cover the black thread base. Tie off and trim at the two thirds mark
- Select a hen grizzly feather and tie in by the tip as a soft hackle. To tie in, hold the end of the tip with one hand and stroke the feathers back, away from the tip, starting with the length you want to begin with. Cut the remaining tip to form a small triangle to aid in holding.
- Wrap the hen grizzly one or two wraps, stroking the barbs back as you wrap.
- Tie off, cut the waste and form a nice head by whip finishing, apply head cement.