Author of “Bugwater“, long time shop customer, and member of Mckenzie River Fly Fishers, Arlen Thomason, wrote a fantastic update on one of his favorite hatches: The McKenzie Green Caddis.
“For those who might not have noticed, one of my favorite hatches is underway on the McKenzie.
McKenzie Green Caddis (Arctopsyche grandis)
The big green McKenzie Caddis–second in size only to fall’s October Caddis–is now hatching sporadically from mid-afternoon to near dark.
Look for them in or just below riffles and fast water. Even if you don’t see any, it’s worth fishing a good imitation. Trout know they are around.
Though they only show a trace of green when seen from above, from a fish’s position it’s a different story.
My favorite fly for this hatch is a CDC elk hair caddis. The CDC, though somewhat of a chore to keep powdered and not waterlogged, consistently
adds enough movement to provide a good dose of realism.
I give them a drag-free drift or two over likely holding water, and if that doesn’t draw attention, I start twitching them a little. These bugs tend
to jump around on the surface a bit before they get airborne. Drives the fish crazy sometimes. Those of you who have fished with Bill Laing, or
heard Mike Starr talk about it at Bill’s recent memorial, will be reminded of his dogged dedication to twitching dry flies. He had the technique
perfected.
If you’re one of my tribe who turns over river rocks to see what dwells there, you might have encountered juvenile McKenzie caddis. These
bugs are net spinners, building webs in rock crevices to catch whatever is drifting by and might be edible.
But neither you nor the fish are likely see these during hatch season. The larvae will have built and sealed themselves inside pebble cases that
they attached to large rocks some time ago. After metamorphing into adults, they will break out of the cases, make their way to the surface
and try to get airborne as soon as possible.”
– Arlen Thomason
Bugwater is our number one favorite insect book regarding our local entomology in the valley. The photos are unmatched and Arlen provides readers with phenomenal photos as references, fly choices, and a wealth of information regarding each insect’s behavior. It is available in the shop and online for those interested.
We have a variety of Mckenzie Green Caddis in the shop. Swing by and ask the shop staff their favorite patterns for the hatch and get loaded up. This is one of our favorite hatches of the year and one of the two prolific large caddis hatches you can experience on our local rivers. If you miss this one you’ll have to wait until fall.
