There’s nothing more refreshing than wading through chilly waters and enjoying the quiet of nature while honing in your fly-fishing skills. The caddisfly is a great option for fishermen interested in expanding the resources in their fly box, even though they don’t get as much recognition as the popular mayfly.
Caddisflies live throughout the state of North Carolina, and they typically hatch from March through May. Also referred to as sedges, there are several different types, including the dancer, little sister, speckled Peter, and speckled sedge, with the last two being important for serious anglers.
How Long are Caddisflies Available for Trout?
The window for using caddisflies in fly fishing is a short one; while the insect is in the pupae stage, they are a wonderful source of food for trout. Once they become adults, they quickly leave the water and are not available for trout until they return to deposit eggs about a month later.
How Can I Tell if I’ve Missed the Caddisfly Window?
Unfortunately, if you notice large numbers of caddisflies in surrounding bushes, the best part of the hatch is over and you’ll have better luck in a few weeks when the caddisflies return to deposit their eggs.
I Heard the Black Caddis Can Be Used for Longer…
There is always an exception to the rule! The black caddisfly is native to the Eastern United States and has a different lifecycle. Early season hatches happen in the morning, and adults will deposit eggs in the afternoon, all during the same window of time. This gives you a few weeks to trick the trout and haul in some good catches.
How Do I Identify the Stage Caddisfly Activity?
You can always use hatch guides found online or join a fly-fishing club to learn from other enthusiasts. We recommend joining an organization, since caddisfly activity can vary widely not only from region to region, but even stream to stream.
Remember that matching the stage of life is crucial to finding success on the stream. If you see trout feeding and rising but don’t see many bugs, this is a good indicator that the fish are feeding on emerging caddisfly pupae.
What Other Flies are Good for Fly-Fishing?
The ever-popular mayfly is what you probably started out using, and it remains a great option for fly fishers. If you want to expand your repertoire, you should look into the Woolly Bugger, Elk Hair Caddis, Royal Wulff, Rusty Spinner, and Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear.
Start getting your angler box ready because spring will be arriving before you know it, and fly-fishing season along with it. Try your hand at the caddisfly game and let us know how you fare!
