1. Troutnut Forum
›
2. Fly Fishing
›
3. Peeking Caddis

I've recently came across a peeking caddis pattern that has the pupa extending beyond the curve of the hook, looking like an emerging pupa, I believe they use phesant tail for the case and green chenille for the pupa. The chenille trails behind the fly giving it a life like motion I guess. Has anyone fished this pattern during or before a caddis hatch? Does it work? I have fished caddis pupa but never this type of pattern.

Typically the Peeking caddis fly is fished drifting on, or near, the bottom. The very design of the fly is to suggest the caddis larva's head and a portion of the body protruding out of the case constructed from little pieces of wood, tiny pieces of gravel etc. I've never seen a recipe with a tail - as far as I know the larva has no tail or if it has one it is so short to be of no consequence to a fly tier.

I tie mine with a lead wrapped hook shank, rough dark or light Hare's Ear fur tied to within 3/16" of the eye, a very short dubbed abdomen of cream, olive, or bright green, and a picked out black fur head to replicate the little legs. IMO it would be somewhat ineffective to fish it during a caddis emergence because prior to the emergence the larva morphs to the pupal stage prior to swimming up in the water column and splitting the pupal shuck and fly away.

What Wbranch says and also it's a pattern you could fish most of the year. Of course in the fall I fish them in smaller sizes because the second batch of larva are smaller. If I'm correct I think the second brood, for lack of a better word, is next year's grannom caddis? You better check on that last sentence.
Bruce

Hi Bruce-

You have(5) different species of Brachycentrus in PA, but I believe all are univoltive, i.e. have only one generation per year. The emergence is in May and June, so the smaller ones you see in their larval stage in the fall would (as you say) be next year's emergers.

Taxon wrote -

"have only one generation per year." I have no formal entomological talents whatsoever only having fished NY and PA rivers for trout fifty years. The Grannoms and Apple caddis emerge in periodic waves, throughout the day, for about a week in early May if the water temperatures are appropriate. Some rivers get the Grannom and others get huge emergences of the Apple caddis. Some rivers get both insects.