Days, weeks, and months have passed. The first three months of the season, for me, means lots of streamer fishing with a little nymph action on the side. While nymph fishing bores me, I do enjoy swinging streamers, but the time does come when I look forward to fishing on top. I’ve had a few opportunities. Some of the streams I fish have good Blue Wing Olive hatches, but on home waters the hatch can be spotty, sparse and fickle.  However, the times “they are a-changin”. We are well into April and the Caddis have arrived.  All hail the Caddis. 

Most years, by the middle of April, if not a little sooner, the first major Caddis hatch begins.  Now I’m no expert on bug classification but my research tells me this bug is the American Grannom.  All one really needs to know is the adult is best imitated with a size #18, dark olive body and dark brown wing pattern . Most days, come close and you’ll probably do just fine.  

Once we approach the middle of April I eagerly wait for that Spring warm up. A few days of sunshine and afternoon temperatures in the 50s and 60s tells me it’s time to watch for those first hatches.  On the waters I fish the hatch will usually start around noon.  However, I like to start my day a little earlier. 

 My typical day will start closer to 11.  At first, if there’s no sign of surface activity, I will fish a deep Caddis pupa.  As time passes and we approach the anticipated hatch I will switch to a simple olive body soft hackle and swing the riffles. Hoping to time it with the beginning of the emergence.  Once the hatch begins, the fishing can be fast and furious, ending way too soon. When imitating the adults, I like to keep my fly moving.  Little, upward pops of the rod tip keeps my pattern moving like the naturals.  On many days that little twitch can make all the difference in convincing the fish to eat. Once it ends, I continue to fish along the stream edges where there are always a few fish picking off flies that gather in the stream side vegetation.  If one has the time I recommend staying for a while. The fishing will slow, the stream will seem lifeless but if you wait long enough, by late afternoon, you can get a second chance at more surface activity. Most days, somewhere after 3 pm or as late as 5 pm ( weather dictated), the Caddis will return to lay eggs. The fish will be on them quickly, and you’ll have the chance to pick off a few more fish before shutting it down for the day. 

Now that the Caddis have begun, things will only get better.  May will bring more, different, afternoon Caddis hatches, and as the days warm and grow longer, we will have Caddis activity right into darkness. On home waters, some of the best consistent surface feeding of the season. I’ll be there, you should be too.