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This week, Kyle is in the studio crafting a viewer-requested fly pattern called the Clueless Caddis. This caddis imitation is loaded with buggy characteristics and features just enough hi-vis material on top to keep it visible on the water, even when riding low. Continue reading How To Tie: The Clueless Caddis
Created by Andrij Hordysky, the Nitro caddis pupa is an awesome realistic imitation of just that, a pupating caddis. For a lot of caddis flies, it takes a good while for this stage. If they are a free formed caddis fly they have to create their entire casing vs. simply closing the existing casing a case caddis features. This means they could be working on this for weeks or even months. Considering that, I tend to tie this fly on pretty often. It is a perfect dropper fly under a hefty stimulator or foam dry fly.
Originally created by Gary LaFontaine, master of the caddis lifecycle, this pattern varies only slightly. Using McFlylon in place of the Antron (Sparkle Emerger) yarn the rest of this pattern remains. I find that this material is a little easier to work with as you don’t have to card your fibers together and can clip right from the hank. If you are fishing a caddis hatch and the fish don’t seem to be slamming the top water they might be gorging on the emergence. Try this guy and it will undoubtedly put fish in the net.
Learn More “How To Tie: The Sparkle Emerger | McFlylon Variation”
For me thinking about what I was going to use to tie a fly to imitate the cased caddis was fairly daunting. A bug that covers itself in natural materials like rocks and sticks from the bottom of the river creating a natural camo seemed very difficult to imitate most of the time using dubbing. That is until I was turned on to this pattern. The look created by burning the root beer cactus chenille is perfect! You can burn the material slightly more or less to get some different colors/shades to match your specific river bottom. This is a great point fly when nymph fishing.
Created by Ralph Cutter this is a great option when fish get tired of seeing the good old standby Elk Hair Caddis. Properly named (EC for emergent/cripple) this fly is intended to imitate a caddis that is struggling to break the surface film on the water during its emergence. The propped up elk hair wing with hackle wrapped around it in a post method gives a really unique and life like look. This method also allows the elk hair and hackle to ride above the surface film while the main body of the fly can slip beneath. Making it a perfect imitation for when the caddis emergence is just breaking out of the water.
Need a caddis fly that floats nice and high? Look no further than the Goddard Caddis. This dry fly floats like a cork! Created by two English fly tiers and fishers John Goddard and Clive Henry in the early ’60’s this fly is a must have in. With a full body of spun / flared elk hair it is a great pattern to throw in faster moving water or if you need to give some twitchy action to encourage strikes but don’t want to continually sink/cure your fly. I like to fish it solo or along with a smaller trailing dry fly behind it.
John Barr has done it again. This Caddis Pupa / Emerger is an awesome looking fly for both fly fishers and fish. It’s tied in a couple of color variations, but the one we featured here is a bright green with a silver hot spot that is sure to attract fish. This is a wonderful pattern during the late spring and summer months when caddis activity is at its peak. Fish it as a dropper, on the swing, or in an indicator nymph rig to get hooked up!
With a name like Holy Grail Caddis this fly out the gates better work right? Does it ever!! Utilizing go to natural materials, Partridge, Pheasant tail and Hare’s ear and offering just enough flash with the tinsel ribbing this fly has it all. I love fishing this fly in the summer months as a dropper below a large Elk Hair Caddis, Puterbaugh’s Caddis or any other buoyant caddis dry fly. It works great when the you have an early caddis emergence with the majority of the bugs making their way up the water column or stuck under the surface tension of the water. This a must have summer fly in my box
What can be said for the good old Elk Hair Caddis? Is fishing dry flies your thing? Then I am sure you have a load of Elk Hair Caddis variations in your box.
Whether you are heading to the famous Mothers day hatch on the Arkansas River in Colorado or simply matching any other caddis fly across the nation this pattern will get it done. Learn More “How to Tie: The Egg Laying Caddis”
The October caddis fly is the last chance to throw big bugs for eager trout. With winter bringing midge season soon this is definitely something to look forward to. Our version is tied with an orange body and a very full elk hair wing. This gives it a great profile on the water when trying to imitate the large wing of the October caddis and also keeps it very buoyant. Fish it on its own or on top of a dropper rig. If you missed our last fly tying post, check it out here to learn how to tie a Beadhead October Caddis Pupa.
Now let’s see what you can do. #avidmaxflytyers
