October Caddis Nymph

[fish4trout]

Here we go again it is October Caddis time in Northern California. It seems like I use a different pattern every year because I can never find one I (or the fish) really really like. I usually just sit down at the vise and wing it. Does anybody have any killer October Caddis patterns they would like to share?

[DG]

Well, I used to use a burlap. Seemed to work just fine. They have and October Caddis Pupah down at The Fly Shop you might want to check out, as well, but frankly, it never worked for me.

Catch one off my rock on the T for me, willya? Thanks.

Dennis

[MontanaMoose]

Hello fish4trout...you might try a search in FAOL for Oct. Caddis nymph....I know first hand that Al Campbell tyed a great version and that it was very effective several years ago at the ID fishin...I'm sure it would worl great on my former home water around MS and Dunsmuir...

Cheers,

MontanaMoose

Not Quite Entomology: A Caddis, can be either; a larva, pupa, or adult (dry). Caddis, unlike Mayflies, never enter the nymph stage of development.

This time of year, is when you should be using the adult (female) fly pattern. Here is my recipe that I derived from a pattern by Ronn Lucas, Sr.

Hook: TMC 200R, (I used size 10, cause that was the size of the female October Caddis on the Selway/Locha).
Thread: Black,, 6/0.
Butt (Egg Sack): Pale yellow yarn.
Abdomen: Rust color dubbing.
Thorax: Dark Dubbing, (I used Purple).
Wing: Elk Hair, natural.
Collar: Brown, tied over spot were you secured the wing.

Slam the fly to the water, and almost immediately pick-up off the water. Slam the fly down again a few feet away. This is how the female Caddis, dislodge the eggs on the water surface. Be prepared for a savage, hard hitting trout. ~Parnelli

[fish4trout]

Well I came up with kind of a two tone Birds Nest in a size 10. I used kind of a yellowish color for the body and and kept the abdomen the standard birds nest color. I caught a couple of nice ones on it yesterday. I tried to take some pictures but they kept coming out fuzzy with my digital. What kind of cameras do you guys use for your fly pictures?

[KOA-1]

This is my own pattern but it is based on LaFontaine's Diving Caddis but made with different materials. I take a size 6 curved shank hook and add wt. Then, I dub the abdomen with orange antron and a gold rib. Next, I cover the abdomen with clear tubing. Now add an underwing of brown Medallion sheeting followed by a little overwing of UV pearl ice dubbing. Now wrap brown CDC a few millimeters behind the eye and dub a dark head.

I did well on top yesterday with an orange stimmy size 8. I had an orange bugmeister as well but first cast, I foul hooked a 40" salmon in the dorsal fin. It was my only bugmeister so I attempted to land this monster with my 3wt! It was a long fight but the salmon eventually won and still has my bugmeister.

[bones]

though not a nymph, this pattern has been good for me on the McCloud

[fish4trout]

Hey Bones..... I caught a couple on one of those on the USac yesterday. There are not a whole lot of them around yet but I did see a few yesterday.

[BurntHackle]

try an emerger. My version is a large orange klinkhamer with an orange bubble around the body. The bubble is two or three strands of antron yarn folded back to form a bubble. Antron is key due to the refractive properties of its triangular fibers. It resembles the bubble caddis form to float to the surface when they emerge. This pattern is very effective on my local rivers (bitterroot, clark fork, blackfoot, rock creek).