Imitating Aquatic Insects - Caddisflies
Recommended Prerequisites: Getting Started, Knots
and Rigging Technique, The Perfect Cast, The Perfect
Presentation & the Understanding Trout series.
and Rigging Technique, The Perfect Cast, The Perfect
Presentation & the Understanding Trout series.
The often misunderstood and much
underrated “Trichoptera“ or Caddisfly, is
a major source of trout food, yet most
trout anglers cannot recognize a caddisfly
hatch until it is too late to do them any
good.
underrated “Trichoptera“ or Caddisfly, is
a major source of trout food, yet most
trout anglers cannot recognize a caddisfly
hatch until it is too late to do them any
good.
Learn How to
Catch More Trout!
Catch More Trout!
Learn how to identify caddisflies and
determine the stage of a hatch. The larva,
pupa, and adult stages of the caddisflies
life cycle, including egg-laying activities
for the various caddisfly genera are
described in detail in order that anglers
first understand what they are trying to
imitate.
determine the stage of a hatch. The larva,
pupa, and adult stages of the caddisflies
life cycle, including egg-laying activities
for the various caddisfly genera are
described in detail in order that anglers
first understand what they are trying to
imitate.
Unlike mayflies, caddisflies do not change from the dun stage to a spinner stage. It is not
easy to determine whether the caddisflies are emerging or departing the water from the
underwater egg laying process that some species exhibit. At this point, you may be
wondering what difference that would even make.
When emerging, most specie of caddisfly pupae swim from near the bottom to the surface
skim, shed their shucks and quickly become airborne. When in the underwater egg laying
process, some specie of full-grown caddisflies dive or swim to the bottom, deposit their
eggs, return to the surface and, in many cases, depart the water looking very similar to
emerging caddisflies. Not only was their action and behavior beneath the water entirely
different from the emerging caddisflies, their appearance beneath the water was entirely
different. Caddisfly pupae ascending to the surface do not resemble egg laying females
that are returning to the surface. You may not recognize the difference when they depart
the water, but rest assured that trout will have no problem detecting the difference in what
they may be keying in on, maybe even selectively. In other words, you may not know
whether to fish a pupa imitation of an emerging caddisfly or a wet fly imitation of an egg
layer in this case.
easy to determine whether the caddisflies are emerging or departing the water from the
underwater egg laying process that some species exhibit. At this point, you may be
wondering what difference that would even make.
When emerging, most specie of caddisfly pupae swim from near the bottom to the surface
skim, shed their shucks and quickly become airborne. When in the underwater egg laying
process, some specie of full-grown caddisflies dive or swim to the bottom, deposit their
eggs, return to the surface and, in many cases, depart the water looking very similar to
emerging caddisflies. Not only was their action and behavior beneath the water entirely
different from the emerging caddisflies, their appearance beneath the water was entirely
different. Caddisfly pupae ascending to the surface do not resemble egg laying females
that are returning to the surface. You may not recognize the difference when they depart
the water, but rest assured that trout will have no problem detecting the difference in what
they may be keying in on, maybe even selectively. In other words, you may not know
whether to fish a pupa imitation of an emerging caddisfly or a wet fly imitation of an egg
layer in this case.
The least important stage of
life you may imitate is the
adult stage, yet it is usually
represents the majority of
caddisflies in an anglers fly
box. Often, the adult is the
only stage represented by
an imitation.
life you may imitate is the
adult stage, yet it is usually
represents the majority of
caddisflies in an anglers fly
box. Often, the adult is the
only stage represented by
an imitation.
Other species of caddisflies crawl on the bottom to shore or rocks that protrude out of the
water before emerging. Others swim to the surface and walk on the film to shore before
emerging.
To farther complicate matters, often times when large swarms or clouds of caddisflies
appear over the water, they are neither females laying eggs or emerging. They are males
congregating together. It is common for anglers to waste their time fishing caddis patterns
during this activity when the caddisflies are actually not available for the trout to eat.
Determining the stage of a caddisfly hatch is of utmost importance if you are going to
imitate the naturals effectively.
water before emerging. Others swim to the surface and walk on the film to shore before
emerging.
To farther complicate matters, often times when large swarms or clouds of caddisflies
appear over the water, they are neither females laying eggs or emerging. They are males
congregating together. It is common for anglers to waste their time fishing caddis patterns
during this activity when the caddisflies are actually not available for the trout to eat.
Determining the stage of a caddisfly hatch is of utmost importance if you are going to
imitate the naturals effectively.
Learn How to
Identify the
Caddisflies in
any Stream
and How to
Imitate Them!
Identify the
Caddisflies in
any Stream
and How to
Imitate Them!
Those anglers that are familiar with the various genera of caddisflies; know how to
recognize and match the insects at the various stages of a hatch; and present imitations
that properly imitate their behavior are going to catch a lot more trout than those that do
not. Recognizing and identifying the various species is not an easy task, even for
professional entomologists. Fortunately, it is not a definite requirement for anglers,
although being familiar with some of the major species certainly does not hurt anything.
recognize and match the insects at the various stages of a hatch; and present imitations
that properly imitate their behavior are going to catch a lot more trout than those that do
not. Recognizing and identifying the various species is not an easy task, even for
professional entomologists. Fortunately, it is not a definite requirement for anglers,
although being familiar with some of the major species certainly does not hurt anything.
Copyright 2009 James Marsh, All Rights Reserved
Hatch charts that are suppose to assist anglers visiting new streams may be of little help
when it comes to caddisflies. Often hatch charts list “caddis” just as if it were an individual
species of insect even thought the same hatch chart might list a dozen species of mayflies
for the same stream. Others hatch charts may merely list them by different shades of color.
This, of course, may help in that it at least tells you that some species of caddisfly is going
to hatch, a gray one, dark one, or black one, but it offers very little other information -
information that is critical in knowing how to imitate the various families of caddisflies.
Knowing the behavior of the particular family and sometimes, genera and in a few cases,
even the species of caddisflies that you are imitating, is just as important, if not more
important, than knowing what color and size of fly to use.
when it comes to caddisflies. Often hatch charts list “caddis” just as if it were an individual
species of insect even thought the same hatch chart might list a dozen species of mayflies
for the same stream. Others hatch charts may merely list them by different shades of color.
This, of course, may help in that it at least tells you that some species of caddisfly is going
to hatch, a gray one, dark one, or black one, but it offers very little other information -
information that is critical in knowing how to imitate the various families of caddisflies.
Knowing the behavior of the particular family and sometimes, genera and in a few cases,
even the species of caddisflies that you are imitating, is just as important, if not more
important, than knowing what color and size of fly to use.
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Get Your Ph.D. in Fly-Fishing Right Here!
This program is in production
and will be available late 2010
and will be available late 2010
