XBC

Extended Body Caddis

Video: XBC - Extended Body Caddis

So, I made this video mostly as a test as I try to figure out someway of getting a half decent filming setup with the gear I have. By no means is this great, but its not horrible either. It will give you the general idea.

Extended Body Caddis.
Hook: #20 Curved Shank Emerger
Thread: Olive. I used a black marker on the thread at the head.
Body: Micro Chenille. Use a light to singe the butt. This stops it from unravelling.
Underwing: Med. Dun CDC. This is for colour on this pattern.
Overwing: Elk hair.
The underwing is what will show for colour to the fish. It allows you to use natural coloured elk, which is more visible to the angler than a full Med. Dun coloured wing. Obviously, you don't have to go the route of an underwing, and used dyed elk, CDC, Deer hair etc, but I can assure you this method will not put the fish off, and make your fly much easier to track on the water.

I'm not really sure on the name or origin of this fly. I came to it by way of Pete Pettoes.

This is a fly I have supreme confidence in. I have caught a lot of fish, and a lot of good fish with this pattern. It's an easy tie, utilizing cheap materials, which are common in most tiers already accumulated collections.

Easy pickings.

There are 3 dry flies I'd consider must have's on a day to day basis for the Grand these days.............and for a good while to come. Each season they account for a lot of my fish.

Caddis #18-20 Olive/Blue Dun ( body/wing )

Cranefly #18 - 20

Micro Caddis  # 20 - 22 Tan/Tan

The first two especially. They have both afforded not only prolific numbers, but most of my larger fish. My entomological knowledge is far from staggering and as incomplete as it gets, but these are Hydropsyches/Spotted Sedge as far as I know. The best imitator I have for this is an extended body pattern incorporating micro chenille. However, a simple Deer/Elk Hair pattern will suffice. On both patterns, I use an underwing of Blue Dun CDC. This shows the fish the proper shading from his view. It also allows you to a lighter hair wing than usual to make them easier to see.

As best as I know, my cranefly pattern is a Pennsylvania Tailwater Crane. Pale yellow body, light blue dun wings tied in V shape and extending back past the hook, with a LB dun hackle. There is a staggering difference when this pattern is viewed alongside other Crane patterns I see in others box. Both in size and design. I can't speak to there success, but I never have to worry about having an adequate imitation. This thing is for serious business.

The Micro Caddis. I've covered this fly before on this blog. This is a prolonged hatch that makes fish stupid. Really stupid. Which puts them on my level and subsequently I do well with this hatch. Really not much more to be said I haven't before. They aren't here just yet, but I highly suspect they are just around the corner. They are some 20's flying about but are likely the smaller end of another hatch. You do not want to be without the MC's when they do hit. Unless your a fan of supreme frustration I suppose.

Nature has been kind to us this year. The earlier warm weather accelerated hatches and they have been timed so nicely that I've only watched dead water for limited periods. If I get ever get in any real hours it would be paradise.


VIDEO: River Walk.

..........so, yeah.

Not even going to bother with my usual whining about my back. The zero updates bit speaks for itself.

Indeed, the caddis have arrived and the fish are happy to oblige. Fish that would occasionally splash would take a foam post caddis emerger. I was on the river for a little under 2hrs, and was certainly better in the later parts of the outing.

The river has got it's 'stain' from the algae much earlier this season. Not a bad thing...............doesn't bother fish as much as it does some anglers. Even then it bothers the latter more than it rightfully should.

........this week.

So, I did briefly look at some water Wednesday evening. Lots more bugs, lots more rising fish.

I saw bugger all Hendricksons myself ( arriving around 4:30'ish, below Elora ), though a guy I talked with said he had caught a couple of smaller fish on them in the morning. Personally, I'd say they're done down there.

Definitely Foxes about, not sure how the fish are reacting to them. Managed a fish on an emerger. Fish were far happier with Cranes, even more so with BWO's. I left the water covered in black caddis....................so, whatever that tells you.

.........meh.

I literally spend more time getting ready to fish these days than I do wetting line.

I had planned to fish today ( Tuesday ). With days in advance, I tied some flies, clean and dressed my line, tied a new leader, etc. All to ease the process for the day of. If I tried to do that that on the same day? I'd be in agony before  I hit the car. Waders and boots? Thats always taxing regardless. And the fishing part? Well, water watching takes up the majority of my time. If I can't find fish rising, I can't be bothered. Very much an effort verse reward sorta thing. If my backs gonna ache, so is some fishes lip. I'm a bastard like that.

My blog. I get to whine.

So, my gear sits by the door, rigged and ready. Last look I had showed me enough Foxes flopping about the surface that by now the hatch should be interesting some fish. I'm often wrong though. I'll cross my fingers and see if tomorrow allows me a kick at the cat.

Hatch Charts.

I've noticed a fair amount of traffic comes this way via searches for hatch charts for both the Grand and Upper Credit Rivers. Lets talk about charts for a second.

First off, for those new to the sport, charts can only be so accurate. Bugs don't use a calendar. Probably the most accurate method would be phenology. Years like this, where spring weather conditions were accelerated, the bugs were too. Some years they get pushed back. What they are good for is giving you a general idea what should or could be on the water, and what should be coming up. The internet is also a good resource. Many shops have river reports online and will clue you in to the currently producing hatches. Blogs such as this one can also tell you what others are finding successful.............though, buyer beware..........anyone can write a blog. Some are excellent anglers. Others are not, like the hack who writes this blog. The well known fly fishing author John Gierach once said something along the lines of 'there are good anglers, and there are good writers. Seldom are they one in the same.'

Of course, the easiest way to find out what the fish and the bugs are doing is to get out there and look.

Grand River.
http://420flyfishing.blogspot.ca/2012/05/grand-river-hatch-chart.html

Upper Credit River.
http://420flyfishing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/credit-river-hatch-chart.html

No fishing.

For me at least. Sucks to have all the time in the world, and not being able to use it.

My mother fished a little last week, and managed to find some smaller fish that were eager to rise to BWO's and ( especially ) Cranes. I like this news.....................Cranes account for a good deal of fish for me. Much less Hendriksons..............so I wonder if that's about done.

I see Grandriver Troutfitters has a revamped site up. Always good to have a look at their site to see what bugs their seeing, as well as checking river flow. The river reports seem to be updated frequently.
http://www.grandrivertroutfitters.com/

Hopefully after this protracted period of recuperation I can coax something out of my back this coming week.