Caddis Patterns: Your favourite?

[nostrildamus]

Chime in and tell us what your favourite Caddis pattern is (nymph, emerger or adult). I've been tying up a bunch for next season and don't know which are best and in what situation but I'm filling out my arsenal nonetheless.

Here's my ranking from my limited experience thus far:

1.)Tom Thumb: Could be a caddis, could be many other things and maybe this is why I've had success with it in the past. Floats well and is visible even in rougher water. Works well on Van. Island... doesn't seem to work here in the lower mainland other than on the Skagit. Also easy to tie so long as you don't mind the messy cleanup of clippings and under-fur.

2.)Carey Special: I've always thought this was less an attractor and more a caddis nymph because the hackle resembles the nymphs trailing legs and antennae. Works great in the Thompson Plateau area and it's easy to tie.

3.)Elk Hair Caddis: Seems to work like dynamite up around Harrison for some odd reason. I don't know if I've ever seen Caddis flies up there but it's only a skip and a jump from Skagit, so I guess it's possible. Once again messyto tie! This might be a better option than the Tom Thumb if you don't have a hair stacker.

[Bead Head]

I like Klinkhammer Specials for emergers and Stimulators have also worked well as an adult pattern. The Stimulators are a great high float fly and like you posted Carey Specials and Elk Hair caddis flies are allways good to have in the box.
Thanks
Bead Head

[troutchaser]

Check this out... maybe you've seen it already. I usually find myself using like a size 14-16 elk hair caddis for the dry fly.

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/articl...caddis_fly.htm

cheers

[featherfisher]

I agree with the elk hair caddis as my adult dry fly, but a tom thumb is a good one too. I have a few variations of my own that I use for nymphs. Take one of your favorite nymphs and use red thread to make a red head (hey I rhymed) and I bet you'll be pleasantly suprised :wink:

[WF-6-S]

I would go for a tomthumb as the most productive dry fly I have ever used. I wouldn't say its really a caddis fly, but rather a catch all dry fly that works good enough for immitating any bug, including a caddis fly. As for actual immitations, I aggree that the elk hair caddis is outstanding as well; floats high, visible, and produces.

For nymphs I have never really found a good caddis nymph imitation, although I use almost exclusively hair's ear nymphs in a few sizes and variations, and I think alot of the time they are taken as caddis flys. I've never really found the need to use caddis specific nymphs on the rivers i fish.

Haven't encountered many situations which called for an emerger, but I do fish soft hackles often and I think they are at least a reasonable imitation, while at the same time are awsome searching patterns.

On vancoulver island you don't often have hatches which make fish that selective, so I find that generic patterns which can imitate most prime food sources and also cover specific ones are the best; ie tomb thumbs, hair's ears, partridge and green/yellow, wooly buggers, and rolled muddlers. That's pretty much my fly box actually.

[professori]

Caddis nymph: Knouff lake special. Never tried another caddis nymph that got as much acction. For dry(lakes) I really like the Mikaluk sedge, but it is a bit time consuming to tie. Really works when the travellers are on tho'.

[LiveToFly]

Have to agree with Prof on that one... Knouf lake special is the best caddis nymph in my box. As for the adult... Elk Hair Caddis has been productive everywhere I have fished. The Mitchaluk Sedge (great travelling sedge)is like a timex...takes a licken and keeps on ticken, a great durable pattern if tied big #4-#8 on some of the big interior caddis hatches.