Cased Caddis and Other Caddisfly Imitations By Steve Burke Caddis flies, of the order Trichoptera, have long been known as an important food source for trout and salmonids. There are more than 800 different species in the United States, Canada, and Europe and almost as many fly imitations as anglers attempt to attract fish to line with what is considered an attractive bite to eat. The imitations you see here are a small representation of the those imitations and again we have some impressive ones submitted by Leon Guthrie. Leon has had quite a bit of success with his variations on Trout, Salmon, and Steelhead. The flies you see here represent a cross section of those that attempt to imitate all of the stages of the Caddis fly life cycle: Caddisfly larva (also known as nymph stage), Resting Stage (also known as the pupa stage or cased stage), and Caddisfly adult (also known as Sedge). How they are fished will depend on what stage of the life cycle is being fished. The larva stage, and pupa stages are often weighted to get them down to the bottom where they lurk in the stream. The adult stage is usually made to float, imitating the an adult after emergence or depositing eggs on the water. They can usually be fished greased-line style for Steelhead, leaving a wake in their path. Keep in mind that colors vary form whitish, to reddish brown to black, and although most are usually drab in appearance there are some species with striking color patterns. A little research into the species that inhabit the stream you are visiting and when hatches occur goes a long way to bringing success. Featured Flies Larva Stage Cased Stage Adult Stage