Fly Tying Tutorial: Tie the Peacock Corn-Fed Caddis with Lance Egan

with: Fly Fish Food

The Peacock Corn-Fed Caddis from Lance Egan is a twist on one of the most proven caddis patterns out there. You’ve probably fished the tan or olive versions before, but this one? This one’s got a touch of peacock herl magic — that shimmering, iridescent glow that trout simply can’t pass up.

This fly floats high, looks irresistibly buggy, and combines the best of classic natural materials like CDC and peacock with a touch of modern flash. Whether you’re drifting it through a soft riffle or skittering it over a bubbling pocket, the Peacock Corn-Fed Caddis is a recipe for trout-induced chaos. Let’s tie it up and make something the fish won’t forget.

✂️ Step-by-Step Tying Instructions

1. Hook & Thread

• Place a Tiemco 100 (or equivalent) dry fly hook in the vise, size 14–16.

• Start your black Semperfly Nano Silk thread just behind the eye and wrap a smooth thread base down the shank.

2. Trailing Shuck

• Tie in a short tuft of Wapsi Antron Yarn in PMD Shuck Olive at the bend.

• Use about half the thickness you think you’ll need, fold it over, and secure it down for durability.

• Trim the shuck short — just a small, subtle trailing wisp.

3. Body Rib Setup

• Double the tying thread over to create a thread rib.

• Secure it back toward the shuck and leave it hanging at the rear for later counter-wrapping.

4. Peacock Body

• Tie in 3–4 strands of peacock herl by their tips (trim off weak ends).

• Twist them slightly for strength and wrap forward to form a full, bushy body.

• Secure with thread and trim away the excess.

5. Reinforce the Body

• Counter-wrap your thread rib in the opposite direction of the peacock wraps for durability.

• Tie off and trim the ribbing thread.

6. CDC Wing

• Select several natural dun CDC feathers (Swiss CDC or similar).

• Align and stack fibers, trimming the tips to your desired wing length (roughly the hook shank length).

• Stack 3–5 feathers for fullness, then pinch-wrap on top of the shank right behind the eye.

• Trim excess stems and secure firmly.

7. Overwing (Visibility)

• Tie in a sparse clump of EP Trigger Point Fibers (white or hi-vis color).

• Fold over and secure for extra visibility on the water.

• Trim slightly shorter than the CDC wing.

8. Dubbing Base

• Add a pinch of black Wapsi Superfine dubbing around the thread.

• Build a small dubbing base at the front of the fly — this helps the CDC hackle grip.

9. CDC Hackle (Dubbing Loop Method)

• Create a dubbing loop with your thread spinner.

• Insert two CDC feathers into a clamp (fibers only, no stems).

• Trim close to the stem and place the fibers inside the loop.

• Twist tightly to form a CDC hackle rope.

• Wrap this hackle around the head area, stroking fibers rearward with each turn.

• Tie off and trim the excess.

10. Finish the Fly

• Whip finish neatly behind the eye.

🧾 Peacock Corn-Fed Caddis Recipe

Hook:

• Tiemco TMC 100 dry fly hook, sizes 12–18 (most commonly 14–16)

Thread:

• Semperfly Nano Silk in black

Trailing Shuck:

• Wapsi Antron Yarn, color: PMD Shuck Olive

Body:

• 3–4 strands of natural peacock herl

Ribbing:

• Doubled tying thread, counter-wrapped for durability

Wing:

• Natural dun CDC feathers (3–5 stacked for fullness)

Overwing (Visibility Wing):

• EP Trigger Point Fibers in white
  (optional color accents: orange, pink, or chartreuse)

Thorax / Head Base:

• Wapsi Superfine Dubbing in black

Hackle:

• Two natural dun CDC feathers, spun in a dubbing loop

Finish:

• Whip finish behind the eye

• Optional: light coat of head cement