Fly Fishing Insider Newsletter featuring Caddisflies

Caddisflies On The Lower Deschutes
	Many anglers feel that the Salmon Fly Hatch is the best the Deschutes River has to offer. These big flies are easy for even the most visually challenged angler to see. So are the rise forms that accompany them. The Salmon Fly Hatch is bone-head easy. And there ain't nuthin' the matter with easy. However, the most prolific hatches that will occur this season are yet to come. And instead of big air resistant flies, you now can throw easier to cast smaller ones (that are still large enough to see)! The best part is that caddis activity starts early in the morning lasts virtually all day and can still be going on
into the dark. There can be many species of caddis in the same area at the same time. Trout can be selective, but not usually totally selective. Usually a brown, tan or olive body Elk Hair Caddis in size #16 will get enough action to keep you interested. Many caddis eating trout are nearly on the bank. Long cast aren't usually necessary, but pin point accuracy is.

fly will act as a strike-indicator for the dead drifted, partly submerged, (nearly impossible to see) pupa. Start your presentation with a quartering upstream cast and strip line as the fly drifts back to you and then feed line as the fly floats on below you. This works especially well in big riffles. As the flies reach the end of your drift, let them pull under and your dry fly becomes a diving female on an egg laying mission. Big

trout are very susceptible to egg ladened diving female caddis. Check your rigging often any time you are fishing a two-fly set-up.

We are told that over 250 different species of caddis inhabit our local streams. These can be broken down into manageable categories. Listed by body color, size and frequency, you would probably wind up with something like this:
1. brown body 12 - 16	5. bright green body 14 - 18
2. black body 18 - 20	6. gray body 14 - 18
3. tan body 14 - 16	7. cream body (water moth) 14 - 18
4. olive body 14 - 18	8. orange body 6 - 12
This selection is for rivers that drain both west and east slopes of the Cascade Range. These can be rain forest mountain rivers to the west and desert rivers to the east. Within this region there are a great diversity of habitat types to be encountered. Incredibly, these rivers have very similar caddis species. This does simplify fly selection a bit. Be aware however, that there are more than a few wild cards out there....And that is why our caddis pattern selection is so large.

Many of our customers do not have perfect eye sight. Recently we have been experimenting with dry flies that are tied with wings made from highly visible materials. Fluorescent Antron is easiest to see and adds floatation to the fly.

The concept isn't new. Several years ago I read an article by George Harvey which touted the virtues of highly visible dry flies. The better you can see your fly, the better you can fish. You can detect strikes easier. But more importantly you can control drag better. Controlling drag will get you a lot more strikes.

I used my clients as guinea pigs. Even young anglers with good eyesight fished better with the hi-vis flies and often complained when I ran out of them. These are called the Twilight™ and are marked with (TW). The way the flies are tied, the bright wing topping is only visible from the top and the trout aren't even aware it exists. They like 'em. Of course for you non-believers, we still offer the old stand-byes.

Larvae

Bead Pupae

Diving Caddis

Scintillator Pupa

Bead Head Larvae

Eyed Pupae

Sparkle Pupa

aquatic habits of these secretive insects. He observed how trout responded to caddis larvae and pupae differently. He also observed diving, egg laying adult female caddis at very close range. Gary took the time to see these insects from the same prospective as trout see them. He did this work while studying for a biology degree. His thesis became the most definitive work on caddisflies ever produced. Gary's work disclosed several facts hither to unknown about caddis flies. Probably the most revolutionary find is that when many species of caddis pupae rise to the surface their abdominal areas are surrounded by an air sack. He watched from underwater as trout keyed on these air bubbles as they fed. The LaFontaine Sparkle Pupa series was developed from this research. Over a ten year period Gary's research was turned into a book that fly fishers could understand. It was called Caddisflies. Caddisflies is required reading for anyone who desires to be a complete trout angler.

Here are other facets of caddisfly behavior that trout anglers will find useful: All caddis larvae are subject to periodic behavioral drift cycles. During these periods entire populations are exposed to trout which can key on them exclusively. During these times the larvae pattern listed here have proven very productive. The Glass Bead Larva are the most realistic available for representing net spinners and free living varieties. The Peaking Cased Caddis is a great cased-caddis larva pattern. These flies are most effective while being fished close to the bottom. Split shot may be used and the flies should be presented "dead drift".

Caddis' go through metamorphous under water. During a caddis hatch, pupae rise from the substrate to the surface. Some drift along the bottom for many yards before they rise. Nori Caddis Pupa, Bead Head Caddis Pupa or Deep Sparkle Pupa are productive patterns during the earliest stages of the hatch. They are fished close to the bottom very much like caddis larva and other nymphs.

As the pupae rise to the surface an air bubble often surrounds them. This shiny bubble containing the helpless insect becomes a target for feeding trout. The pupae are most vulnerable while trapped in the surface film. The Emergent Sparkle Pupa is the most proven pattern type for this stage of the hatch. However, if you try a Glass Bead Caddis Pupa, you will probably be amazed at how productive it is. These flies can be fished down stream, across the current, under light tension. If short strikes occur, try feeding a lightly held shock loop when you feel the pull of a taking fish.

Some caddis species lay their eggs by diving through the surface of the water and ovipositing on the substrate. This usually happens right at dark. Large trout will be making very splashy rises with no apparent hatch. An Emergent/Diving Caddis in the right color and size is often the answer.

	CADDISFLIES Gary LaFontaine GLOBE PEQUOT ( THE LYONS PRESS, FALCON), November 1997 Subject Category: Angler's Entomology & Fish Identification Binding Type: Hardcover Retail Price: $40.00 ISBN: 0-941130-98-3
Ten years' study produced this intense, in-depth look at one of the trout's major foods. LaFontaine introduces tested patterns and details strategies on how to best fish larvae, pupae and adult flies. Color & B/w photos; 8x11 inches, 336 pgs.
Item	Title	Price	To Top
0-941130-98-3	Book, CADDISFLIES, by Gary LaFontaine	$40.00
0-941130-98-3B	Book, CADDISFLIES, by Gary LaFontaine with any purchase over $100. That is 20% OFF plus FREE SHIPPING.	$32.00

Field Test: Winston 9' #5 B2X (BIIX) Fly Rod

Patty and I got a pair of Winston's new B2X Series, 9-foot, 5-weight fly rods. I got mine in March and she got hers a couple of weeks ago. Mine has a graphite composite and anodized aluminum reel seat. Hers has burl maple and nickel silver reel seat. Other wise the rods are identical. Mine has been used for shad, trout nymph fishing and trout dry fly fishing. Hers has been used exclusively for dry fly and soft hackle trout fishing. I am probably more wowed by this rod than she is. However, the other evening, I saw her fish better than ever before with dry flies for trout. Fly lines and reels? I chose my favorite Abel T/R3 reel and a light yellow Sage Performance Taper WF5F fly line.

She is using her favorite Ross Gunnison G-2 and a Fluorescent Chartreuse Rio Selective Trout WF5F line. John Jones used my outfit the other night to land several Columbia River shad. The largest was 4-pounds. He then gave the rod to Mike Senatra who proceeded to land over a dozen shad to 3 3/4 pounds in about an hour. His comment was that it might be the perfect shad rod if it were equipped with a trout size Tibor reel. The thought appealed to every one in the boat. I caught several shad with this rod on two different trips. They were all very sporting. We used a Jim Teeny brand Kelly

Galloup Streamer line. It worked very well for shad. Lead eye flies were used to get down to the fish. The 95B2X cast them amazingly well. At no time did I feel the rod was in jeopardy of breaking. BIIX has proven to be very resilient rod building material. To me this rod is absolutely the best Deschutes River dry fly rod I have ever used. Which weight forward floating line gives this rod the best feel for dry fly fishing? I could cast Patty's Rio further, but I liked how the Sage Performance taper delivered the fly at the ranges that are most practical to work at. This line gives this rod the authority to deal with heavy winds. The real test came while fishing upstream into heavy pocket water. Big wary fish were feeding in slicks behind boulders. The B2X and Performance-Taper combo allowed me to fish at my absolute best. (& I hammered 'em!)

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	If you are a serious fly angler, you can never know enough about the organisms that trout prey on. The easiest way to access this information is through good reference books. We highly recommend The Hatch Guide For Western Streams by Jim Schollmeyer .
…resting caddis adult…

Free Fly Tying Class Sunday Evening: 6:00pm - 8:00pm.
	July 11 Ants & Beetles #10 Carpenter Ant Queen #14 Foam Beetle
At: The Fly Fishing Shop. All materials provided. Bring your fly tying tools if you have them. Some tool sets will be provided for in house use. First come, first served. Beginners & experienced tiers welcome. Instructor: Trez Hensley.