classic Michigan dry fly · early 1920s
Michigan Caddis
Also called Winnie's Fore-and-Aft, Michigan Night Caddis
Disputed origin Credited to Art Winnie, but his daughter disputes it.
History
Older Michigan anglers call the Hex hatch the caddis hatch, and this deer-hair fly was tied for it. It was popular by the mid-1900s.
Its originator is not settled. A Michigan commercial tyer credits Art Winnie, but Winnie's daughter has said it is not the caddis her father is known for. Winnie may have tied and sold it at his barbershop without having designed it.
Older sources call Art Winnie's big Hex dry the Michigan Night Caddis, and that fly's success is usually given as the reason many Michigan anglers still call the Hex hatch the caddis hatch, even though the insect is a mayfly. Some anglers have suggested the fly may also have passed for the large night-flying caddisflies that come off in June and July, so the name may not have been as wrong as it sounds.
Materials
| Hook | Dry, sizes 6 to 10 |
|---|---|
| Tail | Natural deer hair |
| Body | Spun deer hair, clipped |
| Wings | Grizzly hackle tips, spent |
| Hackle | Grizzly dry hackle |
| Thread | Black 6/0 |
Sources
- Deschaine, T. "Michigan Caddis." Just Old Flies, Fly Anglers Online, 2010.
- Deschaine, T. "Art Winnie's Victory Fly." Fly Anglers Online.
- Schwiebert, E. Matching the Hatch. Macmillan, 1955.
- "fly names" (forum thread, post by GONZO, May 28, 2009). Troutnut.com.
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.