X-Caddis dry fly

The Original. The Classic. The One That Started It All.

Craig Mathews designed the X Caddis on the banks of the Madison River, and it's been a staple of caddis fishing ever since. The concept is simple and brilliant: a sparse deer hair wing over a dubbed body, with a trailing antron shuck that suggests a caddis struggling to fully emerge from its pupal case. That shuck is the key — it's what separates the X Caddis from a standard elk hair caddis and why trout that have seen everything will still eat it.

What's in the Pattern

• Hook - Fulling Mill Ultimate Dry Fly Barbless FM5050
• Antron shuck — the signature feature; trails behind the fly to imitate a partially emerged caddis pupa, one of the most vulnerable and irresistible stages of the hatch
• Deer hair wing — sparse, low-riding, and water-resistant; sits flush over the body for a realistic adult caddis silhouette
• Dubbed body — clean and simple, matching the natural color of the caddis species you're imitating
• Three color options — black, olive green, and tan to cover the most common caddis species across a wide range of rivers and seasons
• Hand-tied at Ty's Flies with precise, consistent proportions in every size

Dead Drift It in the Film

Fish it flush in the surface film with a dead drift during the hatch — that's where it shines. The low profile and trailing shuck do the work. Available in sizes 12–18.

Simple. Proven. Timeless. Hand-tied at Ty's Flies.