The Light Cahill is an old Catskills pattern that has been used for years with great results. On the South fork river near Idaho Falls, Idaho, we have found this fly tied in sizes #16 and #18 to be deadly on mornings when there is little or no wind. It can be fished dead drift or with short little skips to imitate mayflies when they return to the water to lay their eggs. It can be tied in sizes from #12 to #18 and is one fly that should be in all fly boxes.
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| 1. Select a
bunch on hackle fibers for the TAIL
and tie them in on the top of the hook. Cover the butt ends with
thread making a smooth underbody for the body to be wrapped
over.
2. Select a wood duck feather for the WING with even tips. Cut out the center stem slightly longer than the length of the hook shank. Secure the wing fibers on the top of the hook. Using thread wraps to hold the wing in place stand the wing fibers up at a 90 degree angle to the hook. Add a drop of cement over the thread to insure the butts won't move. 3. Divide the fibers into two equal clumps one on the near side and one on the far side. Wrap in an X pattern between the divided wing sections and add a small drop of cement between the two sections. 4. Dub a tapered body to about one eye length behind the wing. Prepare and tie in the HACKLE at this point with the dull side facing the eye. Continue dubbing past the wing to about an eye length behind the eye and tie off. Wrap the hackle in tight even wraps to the end of the dubbed hook shank and tie off. Trim the butts, form a small head, add a drop of cement and you are ready to fish the Light Cahill. |