Green Caddis Larva

 Hook: TMC 2487.  Size 14 - 18

Body: Fluorescent Chartreuse Nymph Rib (Solid, Half-Round)

Head: Black Rabbit Fur (Dubbed)

Thread: Larva Lace Translucent Thread - Fine Dark or Equivalent

For Flies Smaller Than 18: Substitute Larva Lace Nymph Rib and Body Material with Larva Lace Midge Lace. (Hollow)

Description:

1) Anchor thread at bend of hook. 

2) Cut 2" - 3" piece of Nymph Rib at an angle.

3) Tie Nymph Rib to the hook at the angled end to prevent build-up. 

4) Wrap thread 3/4 of the way up the hook.

5) Wrap Nymph Rib tightly up the hook shank.

6) Tie down Nymph Rib.  Clip off excess.  TIP: Stretch Nymph Rib while cutting, helps reduce build-up.

7) Lightly dub with Black Rabbit Fur the remaining length of the hook, whip finish.

8) Secure with Larva Lace Flex-Loc Head Cement.

Alternative: Slip-Over Technique 

Hook: TMC 2487.  Size 14 - 18

Body: Fluorescent Chartreuse Body Material (Hollow)

Head: Black Rabbit Fur (Dubbed)

Thread: Larva Lace Translucent Thread - Fine Dark or Equivalent

Description:

1) Anchor thread at bend of hook. 

2) Cut the end of the Body Material on a 45 degree angle.  The body length should only be cut to 3/4 the length of the hook shank.

3) Slip Body Material over the eye of the hook and tie own the abdomen. Tip: A little spit inside the Body Material will help it slide on easier. 

4) Rib the thread forward with close tight wraps.

5) Lightly dub with Black Rabbit Fur the remaining length of the hook, whip finish.

6) Secure with Larva Lace Flex-Loc Head Cement.

Tip: When ribbing forward you will find that you can taper the body by applying less pressure to the thread when nearing the front section of the fly body.         

Larva Lace Blood Worm

Hook: Tiemco T400 or 1770.  Size 12 - 14

Body: Larva Lace Orange Body Material (Hollow)

Thread: 8/0 Red Uni-Thread or Equivalent

Description:

1) Anchor thread at bend of hook. 

2) Cut Larva Lace to size.

3) Apply vegetable oil to hook shank. (or spit if you are lazy like me) 

4) Slip Larva Lace over the eye of the hook.  TIP: Make sure you are pushing in the same plane as the hook.

5) Tie in abdomen as you would when tying the head.  Then proceed toward the front with close tight segmentations.  Whip finish.

6) Secure with Larva Lace Flex-Loc Head Cement.

Tip/Alternative: Substitute Brown or Red/Brown Larva Lace Body Material for an Awesome Earthworm pattern.  Also, gold rib can be added for a little more weight and segmentation.

Camera's Crab

Hook: Mustad 34007 Size 1/0 - 4

Body: Dubbed Wool (Spun) - Light Sand Color or Dark Grey

Thread: Larva Lace Translucent Fine

Claw:  Pheasant Back Feather (Rooster) 

Legs:  Shrimp Color Larva Lace Body Material

Inner Legs:  Orange Crystal Hair or Krystal Flash

Eyes:  Lead Eyes

Description:

1) Tie in pre-made pheasant feather claw.

2) Tie in Lead Eyes

3) Dub on Wool using a dubbing loop.  After each bunch is spun on, pack in very tightly.

4) Clip off wool so you are down to where the wool is very tight.

5) Continue snipping wool until you have completed the length of the body.

6) Clip the wool until entire top is down to a hard mat surface.  (Do not clip sides yet)

7) Turn Crab upside down in the vise.

8) Clip the remaining wool on the top side leaving only the wool sticking out from the sides.

9) Trim sides to a round or oval shape.

10) Prepare Larva Lace Legs by inserting orange crystal hair or equivalent into Shrimp Color Body Material.  Then cut into 2" pieces.

11) Tie a tight overhand knot approximately 1/2" from the end of each piece of Larva Lace.  This will retain the crystal hair and give a leg joint appearance.

12) Turn crab back to the position in the vise as when started.

13) The surface that is top-side is the belly of the crab.  Put a light coat of hot glue on the entire belly surface.

14) Place legs on one at a time.  Each leg will have a bend in it.  Place the leg on the crab with the bend and short end facing straight up.  When the crab is completed and turned right side up you will see that the legs will then look natural.  Apply a drop of hot glue to each leg when setting it in position.  Camera's Crab has two legs on each side.

15) Using the tip of the hot glue gun, heat up the body glue and apply a little more if necessary.

16) While the glue is warm and workable, take the crab from the vise and place it on a smooth glass surface.  Apply pressure straight down putting the crab in the exact position you want him to take when sitting under water.  The glue will harden up in about one minute, then you peel the crab up.

17) Trim away any excess glue that may have squeezed out from the sides.

18)Apply shaded lines or dots on the crabs back with darker shade Pantone Pens if crabs in your area have a special shell design.  The flat hot glue section can also be painted or colored to represent your local critters.

TIP: Variations of the Camera's Crab are in the body materials, legs, and adhesives.  Many crabs you'll see have been tied with spun deer hair instead of wool and the legs are elastic bands.  Deer hair works very well because of the color variation that you can tie in.  When tying a deer hair crab, you will want to place some coiled lead on the belly before you put on the legs.  I have found that hot glue works best for me, however, many tyers use white silicone caulking (the same type used when trimming the bathroom tub).  This silicone adhesive gives the tyer a little more working time.  I feel the Larva Lace legs are far superior to the elastic bands because the hot sun quickly destroys the rubber legs while the vinyl remains unaffected.

The Heathen 

Hook: Tiemco TMC 2457 or TMC 2487 Size 16 - 20

Underbody: One Wrap Pearl Krystal Flash

Body: Larva Lace Grey Body Material (Hollow) slipped over Krystal Flash, segmented with Black 8/0 Uni-Thread

Wing: Upright - White Larva Lace Dry Fly Foam (pre-sliced)

Thorax: Coarse Hare's Ear, dubbed front and back of wing

Description:

1) Tie on one piece of Krystal Flash, just behind the eye of the hook.

2) When Krystal Flash is secured on hook, lift up, off the back of the hook and proceed wrapping hook shank with black thread, stopping just at the bend of the hook.

3) Continue wrapping Krystal Flash over the shank of the hook, stopping at the bend.

4) Tie off Krystal Flash and cut off remaining Krystal Flash material.

5) Slip Larva Lace Body Material over the eye and shank of the hook, not to exceed half of hook shank.  Tip: A little spit inside the Larva Lace will help it slide on easier.

6) Snip larva Lace at the eye of the hook and push remaining section to bend of hook.

7) Build small abdomen with tying thread and continue with close segmented wraps over the Larva Lace to the eye of the hook.

8) Tie in small piece of Larva Lace pre-sliced foam approximately 1/3 shank length back from the eye of the hook.  Leave foam pointing up as a parachute post.

9) Dub coarse hare's ear in front and behind foam post creating a thorax.

10) Whip finish and secure with Larva Lace Flex-Loc head cement.

11) Trim foam post short above hare's ear thorax when used as a nymph.  Trim post high above the thorax when used as an emerger.

Tip/Alternative: This pattern can be tied with any color of Larva Lace Body Material.  Go green or olive for an awesome caddis emerger.  Leaving the Krystal Flash out or substituting flat pearl mylar is also an effective way to tie The Heathen.

Larva Lace San Juan Worm

Hook: Mustad 37140 Size 4 - 10

Body: Larva Lace Body Material or Nymph Rib Orange

Thread: 6/0 Red Uni-Thread

Description:

1) Place hook in vise and bend the shank up, creating a more gradual curve.  Take out at least 1/2 of its original bend.

2) Attach thread just behind the eye of the hook.

3) Cut a four inch piece of Orange Larva Lace Body Material or Nymph Rib.  Trim one end to a 45 degree angle.

4) Attach the angled end of the Larva Lace just behind the eye of the hook.

5) Pull the Larva Lace directly over the back of the hook and wrap tightly over it with bright red thread.  Continue stretching the Larva Lace while wrapping.  Bring the thread all the way to the back of the hook.

6) Now, bring the tying thread back to the eye of the hook making the shank completely red.

7) Using the conventional wrap technique, bring the Larva Lace up the shank and tie down at the eye.

8) Make six wraps when tying down the Larva Lace then stretch the material forward.  Snip the Larva Lace Off and the end will pull back to the tie off area.

9) Form small red head and whip finish.  Secure with Flex-Loc Head Cement.

10) Remove the barb on this hook.  It has a tendency of hooking on the upper part of the mouth.  By removing the barb, the chances of hurting your fish when extracting the hook are decreased.

Aquatic Earthworm

Hook: Mustad 37140 Size 4 - 10

Body: Larva Lace Body Material or Nymph Rib Red-Brown

Thread: 6/0 Brown Uni-Thread

Collar: Larva Lace Pre-Sliced White Dry Foam

The tying procedures for the earth worm are exactly the same as the San Juan Worm above.  The only difference is between steps 6 and 7 tie in two wraps of white thin Larva Lace pre-sliced dry fly foam as a collar.  This collar should be down 1/3 the length of the hook.  When the collar is tied in, pick up from step 7 and complete the fly using Red-Brown Larva Lace Body Material and brown thread.

Cloudy Day Worm or Tan San Juan Worm

Hook: Mustad 37140 Size 4 - 10

Body: Larva Lace Body Material Shrimp or Clear with a single strand of Pearlescent Crystal Hair inserted into the tubing

Thread: Larva Lace Translucent Clear Fine Thread or Tan 6/0 Uni-Thread

Same as San Juan Worm except tie with a piece of Pearlescent Crystal Hair inserted into Shrimp Colored Larva Lace Body Material.

All of these patterns and many more can be found in Fly Tying With Synthetics by Phil Camera.