Tying Tuesday: On the Surface

This week’s Tying Tuesday leans all the way into the surface, bringing you four patterns that cover the dry fly spectrum from classic to quirky: a soft-fur caddis built around a coyote mask, a foam hopper that’s as fun to tie as it is to fish, a CDC soft hackle emerger designed specifically for the March Brown hatch, and a Catskill-style dry dressed with one of the more unusual wing materials you’ll find at the vise — canvasback duck.

Whether you’re stocking up for early-season swings or getting a jump on summer terrestrials, this week’s lineup has something worth tying. Pull up a stool, warm up the bobbin, and get those dry fly boxes ready.

Coyote Caddis
Hook: Size 14, extra-long barbless dry fly hook
Thread: Tan, 70 denier
Body: Tan synthetic dubbing
Wing: Coyote mask fur (rabbit or fox as substitute)
Flash: Natural Crystal Flash, 4 strands
Hackle: Cream or light tan, undersized (approx. size 16)

GFA Hopper
Hook: Risen 9231, size 12
Thread: Veevus 10/0, yellow
Underbody: UV2 Diamond Bright dubbing, orange (or Starburst dubbing)
Body: 2mm Eva fly foam, yellow
Wing: All-purpose deer hair (elk hair works as well)
Legs: Centipede legs or round rubber legs, speckled tan medium
Hot Spot: 2mm fly foam, orange
Resin: Solarez Bone Dry UV resin

March Brown CDC Soft Hackle
Hook: Ahrex Legacy Wet Fly LE880, size 12
Bead: Hareline countersunk tungsten, copper, 3/32″ (2.3mm)
Thread: Danville’s Fly Masters Waxed (or Semperfli Nano Silk)
Tail/Abdomen: Hareline ringneck pheasant tail, natural
Rib: Uni Medium Soft Wire, copper
Thorax: Fulling Mill Eco Warrior Dub, Pepperbox
CDC Loop: Fulling Mill CDC, tan
Collar: Hareline Hungarian partridge skin
UV Resin: Solarez Bone Dry

Canvasback Dry Fly
Hook: Core 1190, size 14 (dry/light nymph hook)
Thread: TheFlySmith 12/0 traditional, primrose
Wings: Canvasback duck flank feather
Tail: Sideling Hill cape, barred rusty dun
Hackle: Sideling Hill cape
Rib: TheFlySmith 0.075mm wire
Head Cement: Backcast Fly Co.