Back in the 1880s, Dan Cahill was a brakeman on the Erie and Lackawana Railroad. One hot summer day, he saved the lives of some brood stock rainbows, turning them loose in the Delaware watershed. But his name lives on in our memory because he tied rabbit fur and wood duck flank fibers on a hook. The Light Cahill is one of those patterns a dry-fly angler should never be without.

In late May and through the month of June, on many Central Oregon still waters, a hatch of No. 16-18 mayflies might make an appearance. And when that happens, nothing else will turn a fish’s head.

Tie the Light Cahill with cream thread on a No. 10-18 dry-fly hook. For the tail, use cream hackle fibers. Use cream or white rabbit dubbing for the body. Tie in wood duck flank-feather fibers for the wing and finish with cream dry-fly hackle.

—Gary Lewis, for The Bulletin