Delayed Harvest and Large Stocked Trout Streams Fly Fishing Report- January 15, 2018

The caddis larva and caddis pupa often become active and available to the trout earlier in the season than the mayflies. On some streams their concentrations are very high. 

For example, early last year I was walking up the side of one stream and spotted some caddis larva in an eddy. As I moved down to the stream, I saw the greatest concentration of caddis larva I had every seen. In an attempt to get some type caddis count I laid my fly rod down, suspended on two boulders over the eddy and took the photo. Counting by tens I estimated that there were over two hundred caddis larva in the eddy which was five feet in diameter.

My three favorite underwater patterns are the Murray's Caddis Larva size 14, Murray's Tan Magic Caddis Pupa size 12 and Murray's Olive Magic Caddis Pupa size 12.

On large streams like the Jackson an effective tactic is to wade downstream forty feet out from the bank. Then cast the fly in close to the bank. After it sinks deeply, swim it across the current right along the streambottom. Wade downstream slowly, placing each successive cast several feet further downstream.

On small streams like Passage Creek I wade upstream and fish my caddis upstream dead drift right along the banks using the Murray's Trout Nymph 9 foot 5X Leader to help detect strikes. Passage Creek was stocked on Wednesday, December 13, 2017.