Ryan Brennecke / The BulletinPT Caddis Peacock, courtesy Fly & Field Outfitters.

Sometimes a caddis pattern will produce more fish if it is tied with a trailing shuck. That’s what caught my eye about this PT Caddis Peacock. When the caddis fly hatches at the surface, it leaves behind a pupal exoskeleton. Occasionally, a fly has a hard time shedding its shuck and it becomes vulnerable to a waiting rainbow.

The easy way to fish this one is on a dead drift, but slight twitches might be imparted to suggest a struggling bug.

To tie this one, start with a No. 14 dry fly hook. Use Z-Lon or another synthetic to suggest the trailing shuck. Wrap a sparse body with pheasant tail fibers. Tie in an underwing of fine mylar. For the wing, use elk hair. Tie an elk hair wing post then trim off as shown, leaving two antennae. Build the thorax with peacock herl or insect green dubbing. Finish with a brown hackle wrapped parachute style.

—Gary Lewis, for The Bulletin