Caddis Emerger Patterns

[jeffg]

Seeing that my buddy has borrowed all of my tying books, I need a recipe for a caddis emerger. Anyone have one that they can recommend>????

[Rod]

Try a bead head soft hackle with brick or chartruese body--actually without bead works just as well

Rod

[jeffg]

Rod, thanx,Is there one anyone knows of pattern that is more of a floating nymph emerger?

[Loren]

Jeff,

Try the Killhammer Special (sp?). It looks caddis-like and is a parachute style emerger - deep surface.
http://www.algonet.se/~sjostran/English/10030.htm

[Loren]

Jeff,
Help a newbie out here. I've read that caddis pupae sprint to the surface and this explains the violent rises from trout. If so, there shouldn't be puape floating around during a caddis hatch and there would be no need for a dry emerger. Having never seen a hatch of caddis, what's the story here? I've tied the Killhammer and fished it some with no success.

Loren

[Drifter]

Loren,
I'm not familiar with caddis "sprinting" to the surface but I do a little about mayfly emergence. As the mayfly nymph developes(living under debri on the river bottom), a tiny gas bubble begins to develope under the wingcase. When the nymph approaches adulthood, the bubble becomes so bouyant that the nymph can no longer hold itself on the bottom, and begins to float to the surface, while simultaneously floating downstream. As it reaches the surface (emerger stage), and it's wings dry, the mayfly takes off.

I tie up a nymph pattern which has pearlescent flashabou as the wingcase. This, I believe, simulates the gas bubble quite well. I catch fish on this nymph when nothing else works.

I'm not sure if the bubble developes the same way with caddis, although I don't see why it wouldn't.

The Drifter http://webpages.charter.net/skeeble/index.htm/Fishcamp.jpg

[Loren]

Drifter,
You recently posted a message about a huge caddis hatch in warm water. Did you see any pupae floating around struggling out of their cases or letting their wings dry? Were they all adults on surface?

Loren

[BT]

I read somewhere about people using floating nymps with a piece of pea*****hearl the length of the fly attached at the tail, to imitate the shuck. I've never tried this, anyone? any sucess?

[Drifter]

Loren asks Drifter:
"Did you see any pupae floating around struggling out of their cases or letting their wings dry? Were they all adults on surface?

Loren,
The water was extremely muddy so I didn't/couldn't see any subsurface activity. Most of the "hatching" was happening about 100 yards downstream. The caddis were about 6 to 8 feet in altitude when they passed by us. I kept looking for a rising fish http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

BT says:
"....a piece of pea*****hearl the length of the fly attached at the tail, to imitate the shuck."

BT,
Craig Matthews of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, MT, ties a caddis pattern with a trailing shuck made of Antron. The pattern has worked for me both out west and here in the Southern Apps. I think it may be called an "X-caddis" not sure though.

You ought to get on his mailing list, if for no other reason but to get his free catalog. Every other page in the catalog is an article by Craig and/or his staff about fishing the Yellowstone area. He use to live in Georgia before he moved to "God's Country". BRF (406)646-7642

The Drifter

[Rod]

Use a soft hackle (no bead) and you'll kill during a caddis hatch. I use noting but soft hackles during caddis hatch.

[Drifter]

Rod says:
"Use a soft hackle (no bead) and you'll kill during a caddis hatch. I use noting but soft hackles during caddis hatch."

Loren tied up some really nice soft hackles for the NGTO Fly Swap. I've never fished a SH before but will give them a try. Come to think of it, I never caught much on a caddis nymph/emerger imitation anyway.

The Drifter

[Rod]

Drifter,
I have a friend who fishes almost nothing but soft hackles. Larger sizes for caddis and smaller for BWO--upstream, downstream tight of loose drift--it is an unbelievably well producing fly.
Try #16 in brick or dark brown bodies for caddis. Sink them for "rising" emergers and float them in the film for "drying" emergers.

You won't go back to other flys. Soft hackles have alot of life to them--not as much as marabou but marabou can move to much in certain conditions.

Rod
Old Softy advocate

[Drifter]

Rod (Old Softy advocate),

Fishing the wet fly is an area of flyfishing I've yet to explore. There was a time when I only fished dry flies (20 years ago). I was of the belief that if the fish didn't want my dry fly, they could starve to death. I then found out how effective nymph fishing is. Probably 80 percent of my flyfishing is now done with nymphs. Still, I have never used wets to any degree.

Another quote from A.J. McClane:
".....the floating fly is a comparatively modern developement. There were probably more skilled sunken fly men in the years before 1860, because from that year hence, a gentleman angler floated his feathers."

But A.J. goes on to say:

"We all realize a fair degree of success with the wet fly, but for the most part, the trout caught are in the law of averages anyhow, and would have swallowed a well-cast collar button." http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

Rod, I guess you could be considered, "Old School". http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

The Drifter

[Rod]

Drifter,

Don't get me wrong---dry is why I fish! With Flies anyhow. If I had to loose one of my senses it would be eyesight and I'd still fish dries just to hear that zzSIPph. I'm old school when it is apparent that fish are only going to be caught below the surface film--otherwise its a ehc or adams.
hell, my fav. fishing is dries for bream--losts of action--although, I catch more bream with soft hackles than with dries. :)