Again we venture to the sub aquatic buffet for the trout, and second only in popularity to the revered mayfly is the caddis

There are thousands of different species worldwide and have a life cycle similar to that of the mayfly except for one thing. Caddis nymphs could be considered the architects of the streambed.

They build portable homes out of sticks, stones, and straw. They weave webs and nets, and they can bungie from streambed structure by attaching a thread of silk to it then swing to and from in the current of the end of the silken thread gathering food in the current.

The caddis larva can come in many colours from white/grey through to very bright greens, yellows, oranges and tan. The larva secrete a sticky solution and us it to bind sand and gravel, bits of stick and hollow reed stems to form their homes, as they grow they upsize accordingly.

Much the same as mayflies, the larva mature into a pupa which swims through the water column and breaks through the surface film and hatches into the adult caddis.

This particular pattern is abundant throughout the streams of north east Victoria and southern NSW. The colour of the larva shows through the translucent shell much the same as the natural insect.

The glass beads represent the front segments of the larva as it protrudes from the shell, the seals fur represents the head and forelegs of the larva.

The added attraction of this pattern is that it is naturally weighted so no beads or lead are needed to get the fly to the bottom where it should be fished, preferably under a large indicator style dry fly.

Famous American fly angler and tyer Gary LaFontaine spent many years researching the caddis fly through all the stages of its life cycle, and developed a number of famous patterns such as the Sparkle Caddis Pupa and the Skating Caddis.