I am having a tough time figuring what size hook to tie some of these babies onto. I looked around the web at pictures of Macrosternum Zebratum, but nothing seems to provide a good size reference. Meanwhile I have a great idea for a newish pattern for these caddis that might prove to be a killer fly…I’ve got the itch for sure. Any ideas on hook size??
Capt.
Below is one pattern that I’ve used with success, for the Maine Alder Fly, (aka-Zebra Caddis).
(I don’t know, because you didn’t mention it, but if you’re tying the “Zebra Midge”, I tie those on #18s and #20s).
Anyway, for the “dry”…
Sorry, don’t have a picture, as I don’t have any tied up at the moment!
Hook - Size 12 dry fly
Thread - Olive Uni 8/0
Tail - Dyed olive snowshoe rabbit (Optional) (personally, I don’t use the tail)
Body - Reinforced Peacock Hurl Noodle (Or other olive / green body)
Wing - Natural or Orange Snowshoe Hare’s Hair with brown marker banding
Hackle: Grizzly or Brown - does not need to be stiff as the wing contributes greatly to its buoyancy.
Antenna: Black Paintbrush Fibers (optional) (Zebras have LONG antenna, about 1.5 times the length of their bodies)
Here’s another pattern for the Zebra, pretty close to the standard “Elk Hair Caddis”, really!?! Except, obviously, the Elk is tied the full length of the hook shank, instead of a standard “wing” style of the EHC. And then the gray, dubbed, body is wound through the Elk.
These, I like to tie on #14s & #16s
“ZEBRA” Caddis
Nice flies indeed. I like the description of the first one you mentioned. I’d love to see a picture when you get a chance to tie one up. I wasn’t aware that zebra caddis hatched in so many different sizes though. Maybe there is only the larger zebra’s up here and smaller down south?? Well, I just tied up my own emerger-concoction on a size 12 that looks pretty nice (to toot my own horn). Any idea if these are a diving caddis species? I thought I saw some diving behavior last season, but I’m unsure as it was on the other side of the stream. Anyhow, I’m charging my camera battery, but I’ll post a pic tonight or maybe tomorrow w/a materials list if you are interested. Thanks for your help
Yes, Capt. I’d love to see your caddis ties, if you find time to post them!
Actually, I don’t think the Alder Fly/Zebra Caddis, really DOES hatch out, in a lot of different sizes. I think, we fly fishermen size things to suit our own feelings, or, beliefs as to what WE FEEL the particular insect should be!?!
The actual Zebra Caddis, I understand, DOES hatch as a mush larger insect, the farther up the Eastern Seaboard you go. In Maine, for instance, they tie the Zebra in sizes 10 and 8. I never fish one, larger than a #12!?! (West Coast).
I don’t have the recipe handy, at the moment, or a fly tied up… but the “Tent Wing Caddis” pattern, is also used quite often as a Zebra style caddis!
Alder flies don’t ‘emerge’, the larvae crawl to the edge of the stream and pupate on land. The adults hatch and lay their eggs on branches over the water. They are poor fliers and so will land in the water by accident. So a drowning/struggling fly is better, ie fished with a bit of action, not on a dead drift. I think this is why the traditional wet fly also works as a ‘drowner’ struggling in the water.
from internet sources:
“Alderfly larvae, when fully grown, make a small cell or closed hole under a log or stone above the waterline. After a week or so, an adult alderfly comes out of the cocoon. The alderflies mate, produce eggs, and die within a few days to a few weeks.”
and:
“Alderfly, small (13-18 mm), dark, soft-bodied INSECT of order Megaloptera, family Sialidae, found in freshwater habitats bordered by ALDER. It is characterized by 2 pairs of heavily veined, membranous wings, chewing mouth parts, large eyes and long, many-segmented antennae. Adults may not feed and are short-lived. Alderflies are most active at midday.
They deposit 200-500 dark brown eggs in rows forming large masses on branches or other objects near water. Larvae hatch in 10-14 days and drop or make their way to water. Larvae are aquatic, preferring muddy bottoms. They have chewing mouth parts and are predaceous. The larval stage may require 2-3 years to complete. Fully grown larvae pupate in a cell in soil, moss, under stones, etc, usually near water. About one month is spent in the pupal period. Adults appear in early summer and are feeble fliers.
Of the 10 species found in Canada, Sialis velata is the most widely distributed (BC to Qu?). Larvae and adults are food for many freshwater fish and provide bait for anglers.”
The main hatch on my home river is the alder fly
I fish it a lot
95% of the time I’ll only use one fly…
a size 12 peacock bodied soft hackle fished on a mended swing with a “lift” to (hopefully) sighted fish.
Trout will rocket right out of the water chasing this presentation
Sometimes the fish will key in on the clouds of flies in the streamside vegetation.
Getting your dry fly into the proper feeding lane, under the overhanging cover, is far more important that the fly itself.
I use a grey deer hair caddis size 12. At one time I carried the King’s River Caddis, a real smart looking fly with a folded turkey tent wing. The fish didn’t care.
How about a recipe for this fly? Is it just a peacockhurl body with 2 or 3 turns of hackle at the eye.
That’s it…
I use some kind of game bird for the hackle… woodcock usually, but it doesn’t matter
And I also reinforce the peacock with a wire rib.
Very simple
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think there is some confusion here about the bug in question. “Alder” flies here in Maine have been confused for a long time with a species of caddis I mentioned in the original post macrostmum zebratum…aka the zebra caddis. This is a classic mix up that happens during discussion of this fly. I always call them Zebra caddis so there is no confusion, but most people only know them as alder flies…which is in all reality the incorrect name for them.
Another internet source:
“This caddis fly, macrostemum zebratum, is often mistakenly refered to as the Alder fly, and emerges through late June and July. The true Alder fly belonging to the family Sialidae is of an entirely different species.”
Good pics here:
http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/image/30859505
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/3825/
BTW here is the zebra caddis I have been tying lately.
True…what locally is called an alder fly is really a zebra caddis, and not a true alder fly
Still… that’s what they’re called :rolleyes:
No confusion on my part, then again, I don’t speak Latin either
It’s like when I read on this board…
When someone says they fish for bream (brim),
I know that they really mean jonny-roaches
