Ice Wing Caddis - Deer Hair Dubbing Loop

Durable, Buoyant, and Effective

Ice Wing Caddis in olive.

I have been playing with some new tools and techniques on the tying bench for the last few months, and one of the flies that came out of my tinkering is too good not to share.  Recently Stonfo came out with a thread splitting tool that I had to get my grubby mitts on to try for myself.  I have played with split thread loops in the past, but never really got too excited about them due to the time it would take to find the center of 70 denier thread, and poke a needle through it.  While there is a short learning curve with the thread splitter, it really cuts down on the time that I take to split the thread.  It seems like just about everything that can possibly go into a dubbing loop has found its way into one on my desk, and my eyes were really opened when I aligned some comparadun deer hair and put it in the loop.  You will have to check out the video to see the full effect of the technique, but I essentially created a deer hair hackle that can also be clipped like spun deer hair.  Now, I know that a similar effect can be had by spinning the hair around the hook, but this technique is very buggy and durable.  That hair isn't going anywhere!  The best part is that this technique makes for a pretty quick tie once you get the hang of it.

I have tied this fly with a CDC underwing between the ice dub and the deer for rough water, and it fishes well too.  Another cool application of this technique is to finish off a comparadun style fly with this type of head to give it a more buggy "spun-dun" look.


**Note about GSP thread***
GSP thread is becoming more common, but it's still new enough that people still ask what it is from time to time.  It's thread made from gel spun polyurethane that is very strong.  It is ideal for deer hair application like this one, and I use it from 30 denier to 200 denier.  Just be careful because the thin applications can cut through foam and deer if you aren't careful.

~ Cheech


Recipe:
Hook: Allen N203BL #12-16 BUY HERE
Thread: Veevus GSP 100 Denier - black BUY HERE
Body: Micro tubing - olive BUY HERE
Underbody: Veevus pearl tinsel - large BUY HERE
Underwing: Ice dub - brown olive BUY HERE
Wing: Comparadun deer hair BUY HERE

Get your thread splitter and dubbing loop hair clips on the store as well.