All Things Fly Fishing : The Caddis Hatch

Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Caddis Hatch - Top 10 Fly Patterns

The caddis have finally showed up in good numbers, and the fish have taken notice. I thought this would be a perfect time to give you a look at my favorite caddis flies. Below are 10 flies that you will find in my boxes at all times.

1. J:Son Caddis Larva: This is a new fly in the shop this year. It has life-like features that trout just can't resist.

2. Blended Caddis Larva: This is my all time favorite caddis larva. It is relatively simple to tie, but when it gets wet it looks like the real thing.

3. GD's Cat Nip: This little gem is a great caddis imitation for cloudy or muddy water. The uv polar chenille really moves in the water.

4. Z-Wing Caddis Pupa: This is probably my favorite pupa imitation. I often times drop this below an adult caddis as my dropper.

5. Rubber Z Caddis Pupa: A design that I came up with last year. It has a lot of the features from Henry's caddis pupa from his book "Matching Major Eastern Hatches". A great one to throw when the trout are keyed in on emergers.

6. Bird of Prey Caddis: The number one selling caddis pupa in the shop. It just has it all, a bit of flash, some soft hackle for movement, and a bead to help get it down.

7. CDC Caddis: I would say that if I was only allowed one fly durning a caddis hatch, this would be it. It floats like a cork with most of the body in the water.

8. Mooser's Cripple: Just ask Moose about it, his excitement will make you want to go home and tie them.

9. Troop's CDC and Elk: Another classic that should be in your box at all times. This fly can be a cripple, emerger, or adult. It also floats like a cork.