Bubble Pupa

The big caddis hatch everyone can't wait for is the Mothers Day Caddis or Brachycentrus.  The Brachycentrus is a cased caddis that lives in just about every stream.  This is a prolific hatch and trout engorge themselves on this abundant insects. This hatch in the east starts in May around Mothers Day and can go well in to June, making it an important hatch to fishers.

There are many outstanding patterns to imitate the pupa (it's most vulnerable stage).  The best well know is LaFontaine’s Sparkle Pupa.  Again I'd like to point you in the direction of Matt Grobert's video Tying the LaFontaine Sparkle Emerger  produced by Tim Flagler aka Tightline Productions for instruction on tying this classic pattern.  Another notable pattern is Barr’s Graphic Caddis.

My take on the Mothers Day Caddis is simple, like most of my patterns, mainly because I want to spend more time fishing than tying (the real reason is I'm lazy).  With most of the patterns I develop the golden rule is Keep it simple, Stupid.  For those who don't know the K.I.S.S. rule it's attributed to Kelly Johnson, lead engineer at the Lockheed Skunk Works think spy planes Lockheed U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird. 

This patterns is developed from observation. I always have a small seine net and will do a kick sample of the stream I fishing to see what bugs and numbers.  If you look at my Popular Posts you'll see that "Emerging Caddis Pupa" is one of my most popular post and those are the images and video I used as reference.

I must give inspirational credit to Davie McPhail videos where I pick-upped using Flashabou for the rib and tinting it with a permanent marker to create a darker but flashy rib.

Bubble Pupa

Hook: Light Wire Caddis Hook.

Size: 14 - 16

Thread: Brown 6/0 or 8/0

Tag: Flashabou

Rib: Flashabou tinted with olive permanent marker.

Abdomen:  Hareline Dubbin HD13 (Insect Green)

Gas Bubble: 1/8" Micro Foam (used to protect electronic)

Legs: Hungarian Partridge

Thorax: Brown Squirrel Dubbing

Start thread and tie in Flashabou.

Wrap tag tie off and dub abdomen.

Tint the inside of the Flashabou and rib abdomen.

Tie in micro foam 1/8" wide.

Tie in Hungarian Partridge by tip.

Wind Partridge tie off and fold over wing case.

Dub Thorax and whip finish.

Your finished Bubble Pupa.

This pattern is a impressionistic pupa designed to be fished in the film. The micro packing foam helps it float and allows light to pass through to mimic the gas bubble of the pupa.  Hence the name Bubble Pupa. This pattern can be tied in various colors to match the caddis coming off on your stream.

Opening Day 2012

Over the years a tradition has developed around opening day of Trout Season. My boys and many friends have a dinner on the banks of a river and many of us camp out to fish the next morning at the 8:00AM start of the season.

This year we had 30 for dinner with just less than half camping out. The large turn out is in direct proportion to the weather, which this year was fabulous.

I'm the grill master with help from The Jersey Angler, and every one brings some thing to table, whether it's appetizers, sides deserts and adult beverages of one sort or another.

While the season only closes for 3 weeks, this is the first outing for many after a long cold winter. This year we didn't winter, more of an extended Autumn.

For me it's a day where I guide my boys and spend time teaching them the art of angling.

Fish on!

Happy Camper

Nice Brookie

Stream entomology

More bugs

Nice Brown.

Could be the big one.

20" Rainbow

October Caddis Time

Leaves are starting to turn. There's a crispness in the air, and the last of the big bugs are about to pop.

It's fall - October caddis time.

Here's a weighted wet-fly patten that I use during the fall. It's a great addition to your Euro-nymph rig or fished alone. Make sure you swing the fly at the end of the drift and hold on.

October Caddis

Hook: Standard Wet Fly Hook (Mustad S80-3906 or similar)
Size: 8 - 12
Head: Black Tungsten Bead sized to hook
Thread: Brown 6/0 or 8/0
Rib: Red and Gold wire (.32 gauge Parawire or UTC Size BR)
Abdomen: Equal parts, Hareline Ice Dub Orange, Tan UV Ice Dub,
and Hareline Rabbit Dubbin HD15 (Hand blended)
Thorax: Hairline Ice Dub Peacock
Rib: Gold Wire
Legs: Hungarian Partridge

Emerging Caddis Pupa

I always carry a little seining net in my vest and take samples from time-to-time. Looking at the insects in the river always influence my tying. I like simple impressionistic patterns and there is no better way to do that than by first hand observation. Seining nets are easy to make some nylon screen and dowels from your local or big box hardware store. Just glue staple or sew the screen to the dowels and roll it up and put it in your vest.

Here are some shots and a video clip of a emerging Caddis pupa. You notice straight away the bright green abdomen the dark wing buds in the thorax and the light translucent head, not to mention the sparkle throughout. You can see why Lafontaine's Sparkle Pupa Emerger works so well.

Emerging Caddis Pupa

Emerging Caddis Pupa side view.