WNY Fly Fishing - The Caddis

Caddis Flies

For a caddisfly, the first stage of life is spent as larvae; depending on the species of caddis, this larvae stage is spent in a case, a fine (web like) net , or as free-crawling larvae on the bottom of the river.
When they are ready to emerge, the larvae pupate and swim to the surface (using their legs, body, and wings), where they hatch into an adult. An important note on emerging pupae, is that they often hold in the surface film for extended periods of time--a highly vulnerable situation.
From here, the newly hatched caddisfly will quickly fly away and mate. Unlike the mayfly, an adult caddisfly has a fully developed mouth, allowing it to feed thus affording it a long life--days, weeks, or even months for some caddisfly species.
After mating, the females return to the water to lay their eggs, which is accomplished in different ways by individual species of caddis. Some females lay their eggs on the surface, while others actually re-enter the stream and swim to the bottom, where they deposit their eggs.
If you are not familiar with their appearance, caddisflies have wings that fold over their body similar to the shape of a tent. Unlike the graceful flight of a mayfly, caddis appear nomadic while in flight, diving and weaving erratically in the air. If none of this helps you to recognize a caddisfly, remember, they bear a striking resemblance to a moth. An important note to recognizing caddisflies is that specific identification is often not necessary; instead, attempt to imitate the basic silhouette and size of the bug.
A caddis emergence can confuse anglers not familiar with its hatching characteristics. During a caddis hatch, it is common to NOT witness insects floating on the surface, yet see fish feeding. Caddisflies emerge rapidly, often without detection by the fisherman. This speedy emergence also causes the fish to display a characteristic rise when feeding on emerging caddis pupae. When emerging caddis are present, fish will rise splashily and aggressively, often leaping completely out of the water after the swiftly emerging pupae. Although this behavior is also, in part, due to the speed of the current; basically, fish have to move and feed more aggressively in a fast current as opposed to a slower one. If all else fails, what is the best way to recognize if you are in the presence of a caddis hatch? The best indication is when you see feeding activity by the fish without any bugs appearing to be present.

Fishing an adult pattern is probably the single biggest mistake that people make when in the company of a caddis emergence. At this time, the fish are interested in the emerging pupae, not adults, as the mature bugs are not yet present. Iris, X-Caddis, and LaFontaine’s Sparkle Pupae, in corresponding sizes and colors, are fly patterns that have proved very successful for fishing a caddis emergence. Adult patterns become highly effective when adult caddis are present, which is most prominent during egg-laying activity.

As with all sources of food, trout are only interested in the mature caddisflies when they are active on or in the water, which, for adult caddis is during egg-laying. At this time, the Elk Hair Caddis or other adult patterns, in a corresponding size and color, become highly effective as they closely match the characteristics of an adult caddisfly.

There is no disputing the fact that patterns such as the Elk Hair Caddis work at times when there is little or no egg-laying activity. Caddis enjoy a relatively long life-span and are prolific in many streams, imprinting themselves as a prominent food source in the fish’s brain. With this in mind, one can theorize that fish will readily consume these imitations based purely on recognition. This, in part, is the theory behind attractor flies and blind fishing; basically, during those periods when caddis activity is heavy (summer months), fishing a caddis pattern is wise, even when emergence or egg-laying is not currently present; conversely, fishing an adult caddis imitation when there has been little or no activity (winter for example) is less than prudent.