Discover The Caddisfly
Discover why all the stages of the Caddisfly are important to fish and fly fishing
Caddisfly: Order: Trichoptera, Class: Limnephilidae
Etymology: Trichos (tricos) comes from the Greek and is the genitive form of thriz (qriz)meaning hair, thus hair wing -ptera (ptera).
Limnephilidae is derived from the Greek 'Limne', meaning marsh and philidae meaning a fondness for and so we can surmise that this is an insect with hairy wings that loves marshes – sounds about right.
The Caddis is also known as the traveling sedge, shadfly, river moth, hellgrammite and periwinkle - most of which it is not. While it is moth-like in appearance, it differs from a moth in that it lacks a siphon tube and does not possess the scaly wings of a moth.
Life Cycle of The Caddisfly
Larva: There are hundreds of different species of Caddisfly and most are important food sources for trout. The larvae build cocoons around them that often look like a bundle of tiny sticks, or a miniature fortress
constructed from pebbles. Hooks on its posterior cling to the larval case while its front legs pulls the case along the bottom. The body inside undulates moving water and oxygen over its filament like gills. It is omnivorous, feeding on vegetation as well as other insects. The larval stage usually lasts about two years. When pupation is about to occur the larva will seal the end of its casing, until metamorphoses, upon which the pupa breaks free of the case, and rests on the bottom for a short period, before it begins migration to the surface.
Pupae : The pupal form of this insect is greatly favoured by trout as it emerges and rises to the surface. It is in constant motion as two of its six
legs act like oars propelling it through the water and keeping the oxygen circulating through it's gills which are located at the back of the thorax - or to put it bluntly - they breath out of their ass. It makes a long ascending angle to the surface where it emerges like a long moth-like insect standing on its spent pupal case. Once the wings dry. The caddis, now in its adult form, flies off to mate.
Adult: The adult caddis or sedgefly holds its long tapered wings tent-like over its body, with long antennae flowing back. It is an erratic flier, varying in size depending on the species. In the summer months they generally emerge in the late afternoon and early evening and on rivers like the Columbia there are swarms so thick the tree swallows seem to burrow through them.
Fishing the Caddis :
All stages of a Caddisfly's life are important for fish and fly-fishing. There are a variety of effective patterns that imitate all stages, from Larva to Adult: Wooly Worm, Bead-head Caddis Pupa, Olive Sedge, CDC, and Tent-wing Caddis etc.
The larval stage of the caddisfly often lasts for over two years. If targeting the larval form, try a woolly worm with a full sink line fished over the bottom. Your retrieve must be done very slowly and often strikes will be subtle and brief, be sure to set the hook at even the slightest change of motion or bump.
Caddis pupae are at the mercy of feeding trout. As they propel themselves to the surface trout feed on them aggressively. For a fly fisherman, fishing a Bead-head Caddis, Olive Sedge or Knouff Lake Special in colours ranging from shades of green to grey with a sinking tip or dry line is effective. A steady, moderate retrieve is best to imitate the emerging caddis.
The Adult stage of the Caddisfly can be prolific. Thousands of Caddis swarm over any given water, creating a consistent and plentiful food source for feeding trout. Using an appropriate sized imitation, fish a dry fly by letting it rest on the surface for 30-40 seconds then skate it a few feet over the water and allow it to rest for a similar period. Popular patterns include the CDC, Tent-wing, Elk Hair and Goddard Caddis'.
