When it comes to soft-hackles, feathers get all the juice. That’s perfectly understandable. But certain furs – like fox squirrel – make excellent hackling material. The results are often deliciously buggy.
Such is the case with the Squirrel and Ginger caddis emerger. This humble creation is something I made up a few summers ago. I took the Ginger Caddis Larva fuzzy nymph and swapped out the standard wet fly hook for a scud hook. Added a flashy rib. And replaced the rabbit fur thorax with a hackle of fox squirrel.
The first time I fished this fly was on a brilliant July day that was devoid of hatch activity or rising fish. The sun was high, the air was steamy, and felt a little foolish for making the drive to the Farmington. Until I started hooking fish after fish on this little caddis emerger. It was the middle fly in a team of three, and the trout stated in no uncertain terms that this was their favorite.
The Squirrel and Ginger is a fine introduction to fur-hackled flies. It is fairly easy to tie. Best of all, it’s a wet fly you can have confidence in.
The Squirrel and Ginger Rogues’ Gallery
7/8/13, Farmington River
4/24/13, Farmington River
7/31/13, wild brown, Farmington River
4/29/15, 17″ holdover brown, Farmington River
10/8/19, 20″ holdover brown, Housatonic River
currentseams.com 
Hi,
Where can I get some Squirrel and Ginger wet flies.
Henry Hollis
I don’t know of anyone who ties them commercially other than me. Send me an email if you’re interested. swculton at yahoo. 🙂
Great pattern, I will give it a try. Ever use it on the Juniata in PA?
I have never fished that river, Joel. But I think the Squirrel and Ginger would love to. 🙂
Gotta get me some red & grey squirrel. I have tails, need pelts. Off to Amazon, since in CA they frown on taking them in the parks, which is the only place we have them.
Skins are common and easy to get (in a store or from the web).
Steve,
Do you ever tie the squirrel and ginger in smaller sizes for the late summer smaller caddis?
Hi Mina,
I don’t, but I think you should (and let us know how it works for you.)
🙂
Nice looking fly Steve. Will have to try put this together and give it a whirl. Cheers.
It has always been one of my best producers.
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[…] Remember that video in the flat pool l showed you? This is the fly I used, my own creation, and it’s called the Squirrel and Ginger. A very, very high confidence wet fly for me, especially when caddis are about. You can find the tying video here. […]
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Hey Rick,
Hope you are staying safe and healthy. Great looking pattern and eager to try it. Just tied a couple and had difficulty with the fox squirrel collar. Can you share where you get that material and in what form? The Fox Squirrel body patch I bought online was small fibers, while the tail was very long. Each posed challenges and didn’t look like what you are using in the video. What fox squirrel do you use? Thanks and be well.
Hi Don. It’s Steve, often confused with Rick. 🙂
I bought the skin off the rack at UpCountry. It’s a standard issue fox squirrel skin. The fur is taken from the body. It’s hard for me to make a call on your issue without seeing what you’re doing, but try using less fur. I also use Loon high-tack wax. That may help as well.
[…] then brown partridge or dark dun hen hackle. Bead Head Soft-Hackled Pheasant Tail Old Blue Dun Squirrel and Ginger. Yeah, I know. Not a Hendrickson pattern. But on the Farmington, we often get a strong caddis hatch […]
[…] fret about those, since the trout were more than eager to jump on the bigger flies. We took them on Squirrel and Gingers (top dropper), Starling and Herl (middle dropper), and generic bead head gray soft hackles on […]
[…] is going on, but there can indeed be mischief afoot underwater. Joe fished a three fly team of a Squirrel and Ginger top dropper, Light Cahill winged middle dropper, and Hackled March Brown on point. All three flies […]
[…] decided on a three-fly team of a Squirrel & Ginger on top dropper, with black tungsten beadhead Hendrickson soft-hackles in the middle and on point. […]
very well explained and illustrated…. thanks so much…it should do well up here in Ontario….
Glad you liked! Please let us know your results.