Caddisflies

[C LeBo 0]

Hey,

What is best stage of the caddisfly life cycle to imitate? I've tied almost all the stages and have had great success on all of them, from pupae to adult, but which one is the best for you?

 

Thank You and Tight Lines!

Carson LeBoeuf

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

they all have their own time but for me an emerger is my favorite

[flytire 0]

maybe i'm wrong here but the life cycle of the caddis is the larva, pupa and finally the adult. under certain conditions, ive had success with each stage of their life cycle

[rockworm 0]

maybe i'm wrong here but the life cycle of the caddis is the larva, pupa and finally the adult. under certain conditions, ive had success with each stage of their life cycle

 

Trichoptera undergo complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa and adult. So flytire is technically correct. But there are moments within these stages which are more important to the trout. For example, during most of the larval stage many caddis are unavailable to the fish as they are nestled away between rocks or hiding in their little spun nets. But these same larva will, under the right conditions, leave their safe havens and drift with the current, where they become of great interest to the always-hungry trout. Similarly, there are moments in the adult stage when the insect is more vulnerable to predation. Such as when it emerges from the pupal shuck, or when the female dives beneath the water to lay her eggs. When I can, I like to use a fly which matches the species and stage most active at the monment. But when I can see no activity I will usually drift a larva pattern close to the bottom. (Often, but not always, a rockworm.)

[flytire 0]

i have never seen nor ever heard of a caddis egg pattern so thats why i did not include it in the life cycle

[rockworm 0]

Yup- my favourite is the little green eggs delicately encased in the butt of a diving female!

 

Flytire- I wasn't criticizing your selection of stages. Just pointing out that RRSHS's choice of emerger, although technically not considered a "stage" in the lifecycle, is one of the more important forms for us tyers to match.

[cruzfly89 0]

had one lay an egg in my hand last night. I fished that hatch for hours and never caught a fish. the guide on the river said that hatch is the hardest to fish anybody know why?

[Piker20 0]

had one lay an egg in my hand last night. I fished that hatch for hours and never caught a fish. the guide on the river said that hatch is the hardest to fish anybody know why?

 

There was a debate in the Uk last year over the use of a pattern that imitates the female returning to lay eggs. I fished a small water (1 1/2 acres) and it had a good hatch of sedges through the season. I fished a weighted fat buggy nymph on a size 6 hook and fished it with sharp long pulls of fly line so it raised up in the water quickly before letting it sink. Had some of the hardest hits from trout I've experienced.