Dry Fly Innovations

The river flows were about 1800 cfs and boats were everywhere in a constant stream of fishermen throwing big flies to the edges. I started fishing about 1:00 and immediately small caddis were all around me. I picked one and checked his under belly–a beautiful green abdomen and black thorax.

I started throwing a small green Adams Caddis #20 2XL. Bang, a large male rainbow smacked it and after a small chase I netted a beautiful 19” fish. I worked the Adams for about an hour and caught 2 more fish but it wasn’t the right recipe I could tell. So I dove back into the fly box for a different fly and settled on a CDC green Caddis on a #20 hook.

As I continued to fish, the caddis hatch became so insane that they began to cluster in groups of 6 to 8 in a tangled ball. Fish started slashing into the hatch, and I served the CDC caddis to selected feeding fish. Almost every active fish either took the offering or swiped at it on a false take. After working the fish, I was able to coax most of the feeders into a solid take, and the net started to get a heavy-duty workout.

I ended the day under the trees on a riffle just below Cow Creek in a very intense Caddis hatch. There were 2 giant rainbows feeding behind the brush pile about 6 feet off the bank. I carefully snuck up to casting range and served the rainbows in the rear. On about the 4th cast he sipped my fly. I planted the steel and he bolted to deep water and began to wallow. Thankfully, he wasn’t the hardest fighter of the day, because if he’d have run farther downstream I would have never landed him. He succumbed to the net and I admired him for a long time as I revived him. He was a gorgeous 20 inch male with spectacular dark colors. He slipped away leaving only a sweet memory.

Now, for that other bruiser feeding up ahead in the same hole. I waded back into position and he was still porpoising, about 3 feet behind the brush pile. It was a small target to put a fly but after about a half dozen casts, I put it on him. Subtly he sipped the fly and the battle was on. After some wild moments and a small chase, I ended my day with another 20 inch fish. It’s a beautiful life!!!

I ended up landing 21 fish, 3 on a #20 Adams Caddis Green and 18 on a #20 CDC Caddis Green. I figured that wasn’t bad given the fact I had to wait for a boat to leave every hole before I could fish.

One last thought. I know it’s very enticing to tie on a giant salmon fly pattern and dredge the edges, but a multitude of other fly fishers just did the same thing ahead of you. These fish are not stupid. Let the hatch be your guide, and right now you should own a #20 CDC Caddis in green to fool a lot of big fish on the South Fork of the Boise River.