As the weather begins to warm and the drab colors of winter begin to turn green, we find some of our favorite fly fishing of the year. Caddis hatches, big nymphs and aggressively feeding trout are a few of the things we look forward to.
As you get ready for your next day on the water, here’s a short list of some of our must-have spring flies and why we think they’re essentials:
Puterbaugh’s Foam Caddis
Known to many as Puterbaugh's Caddis, Don Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis may be one of the best adult caddis imitations of all time. If you gave our staff a choice between fishing this fly or an Elk Hair Caddis, there would likely be a 50/50 split. And if you give most fly tyers a choice between tying Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis or an Elk Hair Caddis, there's a good chance all of them will choose the former.
Puterbaugh's Foam Caddis is the epitome of a "guide fly", in that it's easy to tie and simple to fish. Instead of the body consisting of a dry fly dubbing and hackle wrapped all the way back to the hook shank like many standard caddis adult imitations, the Foam Caddis features a body made of a 2mm piece of foam. The hackle is tightly wrapped at the thorax, similar to a Goddard Caddis. The addition of yearling elk for the wing creates a fly that's well balanced and highly visible.
Not only does the foam body keep Puterbaugh's creation afloat, it can also help you imitate the movements made by a real caddis. Because these bugs do not always sit still on the surface. Instead, caddis will often skitter around on top of the water in erratic patterns.
The flat foam underbody of Puterbaugh's Caddis pushes the fly up, allowing the backend to ride above the film. When movement is applied (through subtle twitches from the angler or natural movement in the wind), the Foam Caddis will skitter erratically too - just like the real bugs.
Barr’s Crane Fly Larva
Trout and humans don't share many similarities, but there's certainly one quirk we do share - When we're hungry, we opt for meals that are nutrient-dense and packed with calories. Less work, more reward. This is the beauty of fishing crane fly larvae.
To keep things simple, anglers can basically think of crane flies as big midges or harmless mosquitoes. The larvae can measure from 1/2" to 3 inches long and look like midge larvae on steroids. The adults look like mosquitoes, with slight differences in the mouth and the wings.
Usually, crane fly larvae do not move from their hiding places and stay buried in the silt or underneath structure along the riverbank. They don't drift like caddis larvae do, nor are they as abundant as midge larvae. But when the water comes up, crane flies become dislodged from their hiding places and become an important food source for trout.
Think about fishing crane flies whenever flows increase. That could be during runoff or following a rainstorm. Even when there’s no significant change in flows, opportunistic trout may take advantage of a big meal. John Barr’s Crane Fly Larve can be a great fly to keep in your arsenal throughout the spring months.
Tungsten Gummy Crane
Again, when many anglers are fishing rivers like the South Platte, crane fly larvae imitations are probably not the first patterns to come to mind. For anglers (especially those that frequent tailwaters), this is a big miss. Hence, why two crane fly patterns have made our list of must-have spring flies.
These fat little grubs are a little different from typical trout food sources. Although some reside in the water, many crane flies are terrestrial and live in the soil along stream banks. Usually, this keeps them away from hungry fish. But when the water rises, it's a different story. When they get swept into the river, these larvae do not have the ability to swim, making them extremely vulnerable to trout feeding near the banks.
To capitalize on this, Blue Quill Angler guide Joe Shafer created the Gummy Crane. This fly matches the chunky profile and grubby, segmented anatomy of a crane fly larva. The Gummy Crane is heavy and sinks like an anchor, making it especially useful during runoff or any time the water is off-color. That said, this bug is worth a few drifts anytime the flows rise.
Egan’s GTI Caddis
Created by Lance Egan, this fly imitates a hydropsyche larva - better known to anglers as "net-spinner" or "net builder" caddis. These larvae are small, worm-like grubs with well-defined segmentation.
When removed from their hiding spots, net-spinner caddis larvae will curl up slightly and ride the current until the flow deposits them into a new spot downstream. It's important to note that net-spinning caddis larvae cannot swim, unlike their free-living cousins.
Like the crane fly larvae above, these bugs provide a big target for trout as a high-calorie food source. And Egan’s GTI Caddis is a realistic imitation.
Barr’s Graphic Caddis
When it comes to creating flies that fulfill a purpose and produce consistently, John Barr is one of the all time greats. The Copper John, Barr's Emerger, the Slumpbuster, the Uncased Caddis, the Vis-A-Dun…Barr's list of proven patterns goes on and on. But let's talk about a fly that is important for every spring trip: the Graphic Caddis.
If you like to spend time on caddis-filled freestones like the Arkansas River, there's no doubt you're acquainted with this bug. The Graphic Caddis is a realistic caddis pupa imitation that can be fished under an indicator or on the swing. Just like with all his flies, Barr put lots of thought into the design of this fly. The following is an excerpt from his book, Barr Flies, in which John gives some insight into the origins of his creation:
"Natural pupae have clean hydrodynamic lines. Their bodies are translucent and smooth with a distinct hump in the posterior. Their legs and antennae sweep back along the body and they have dark wing pads. They have no tails. The name 'Graphic Caddis' comes from the use of silver holographic Flashabou under the stretch tubing body. The Flashabou gives the illusion of the silvery air bubble that accompanies a pupa as it ascends in the water column."
We like fishing the Graphic Caddis by itself on the swing with an intermediate Polyleader or as a dropper below an adult caddis imitation.
Doctor’s SweetMeat Caddis
As anglers, winter renders us accustomed to keying in solely on the runs and pools that are easy to identify. 'If it looks fishy, then fish it' is the general sentiment. But during the spring, even slots that don't look all that 'fishy' are worth at least a couple of drifts - you never know where a trout might be hanging out.
Enter the SweetMeat Caddis. Created by Garrison Doctor, co-founder of Rep Your Water and Signature Tyer at Umpqua Feather Merchants, this fly is a heavy bug that can help you probe the 'in-between' water. The SweetMeat was originally intended to be a durable caddis pupa imitation, but doubles as an excellent searcher pattern.
The SweetMeat Caddis combines the weight and movement of a jig with the shape and color of a caddis pupa to create an all-star nymph. The pattern is tied in two color variations: lime & tangerine. Which, as the tyers know, are not colors that get a ton of play. But according to Doctor, the color selection is part of what sets this pattern apart:
"The turning point for this fly was when, after playing with many variations, I tied some up with two rarely used wire colors... I still remember the first day I fished the 'Lime' variant and knew that this combination of colors and materials had come together into something special - the tastiest of trout snacks. Thus the name, SweetMeat being an archaic term for 'an item of confectionery or sweet food’.”
Guide’s Choice Hare’s Ear
Along with other well-known flies like the Pheasant Tail, the RS2, and the Copper John, the Hare's Ear needs no introduction. Many of us grew up fishing it. The original Hare's Ear may have even been the first fly you ever purchased or tied. And while the classics always deserve respect, there's always room for improvement.
Enter the Guide's Choice Hare's Ear. With a Beadhead Flashback Hare's Ear as the starting point, the Guide’s Choice incorporates peacock herl into the thorax and partridge feathers into the collar. The peacock adds attention-grabbing luster to the fly, while the partridge adds dynamic movement as it drifts downstream. Which makes an already buggy-looking Hare's Ear look even…buggier!
Garcia’s Mother’s Day Caddis
If you love fishing dry flies, there are few hatch events in the west that rival the Arkansas River's Mother's Day Caddis hatch. "Prolific" is not an appropriate description for this emergence. "Apocalyptic" is a much better fit.
The Mother's Day Caddis Hatch on the Ark starts around the end of April below Canyon City and slowly works upstream as the weeks progress. At its height, millions of the bugs can be seen flying around, laying eggs on the river and becoming prey for voracious trout. They may not block out the sun like locusts from a biblical plague, but they do form a formidable wall.
Enter Greg Garcia's Mother's Day Caddis. This egg-laying caddis pattern is an excellent imitation of the adult caddis that pop up in late April and early May. Like all of Mr. Garcia's patterns, the Mother's Day Caddis was tied with purpose and intent. One aspect that really sets the fly apart: instead of wrapping flash or tinsel, Greg uses a green glass bead to imitate the egg sacs of the naturals.
This bug is buoyant, quite durable, and extremely effective. While the Mother’s Day Caddis was designed to capitalize on a particular hatch, we've found this fly will produce fish any time adult caddis can be found on the water. Our affinity for the one and only Greg Garcia aside, no dry fly box is complete without Garcia's Mother's Day Caddis!
Garcia’s Mother’s Day Sally
We've all heard the old adage "Don't try to reinvent the wheel, just realign it." This fly is the epitome of that sentiment. Greg Garcia's Mother's Day Sally is a variation of his Mother's Day Caddis, distributed by Umpqua Feather Merchants.
The Mother's Day Sally was created to imitate the yellow sallies (small yellow stoneflies) that begin to pop up on western rivers during the summer months. In larger sizes, this versatile pattern can be used to imitate an adult golden stonefly. While the yellow sallies do not begin to appear until a little later, the Arkansas River will see golden stones hatching around the same time as the Mother's Day Caddis. If you're fishing that legendary hatch, mix in the Mother's Day Sally as a good change-of-pace fly.
To shop these flies and others, along with some great springtime gear favorites, check out this killer list.
Contact Us With Questions
Do you have questions or need help getting ready for your next day of spring fishing? We are here to help. When it comes to fly fishing or fly tying, there are no dumb questions. Come see us at the fly shop in Littleton. Or give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’d love to help you feel prepared for your next day out on the water!