Whether you are a beginner or more advanced fly tier, please join others of the same passion on February 18th as we tie a broad selection of flies which represent caddisflies at the various stages of their life cycle (larvae, pupae, and adult). You may be wondering why this ‘winter’ fly tying gathering will focus on tying caddisfly patterns. The simple answer is: if you are fly fishing for trout on a freshwater stream, river, or lake in North America, there are likely to be periodic hatches of one or more caddisfly species from early spring until late fall. In Gary LaFontaine’s classic book “Caddisflies,” he noted that caddisfly larvae and pupae were the predominant (45%) aquatic food form found in trout stomach contents. In comparison, in the same sampling, 30% were mayfly nymphs, and 15% other fly larvae and pupae, i.e. significantly less than the caddisflies.
Our agenda for Caddisfly Saturday will consist of tying a series of caddisfly patterns; starting with the most simplistic (e.g. muskrat nymph), then advancing in complexity (e.g. caddis pupae), into the fully developed emerging (e.g. emergent sparkle pupae) and mature caddisfly (e.g. elk hair caddis). Simply stated, each tier will have the opportunity to tie (along with others) a minimum of five different caddisfly patterns. Caddisfly Saturday will also be conducted in the spirit of a Fly Tying Roundtable event; that is, cross-talk and interactive learning is encouraged.
The Caddisfly Saturday event will be held in room 207 at Trinity United Methodist church starting at 9:00 AM and will finish up before 1:00 PM. Light refreshments (coffee, water, pastries) will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring a bag lunch. While there is no charge for the class, please preregister for the event (no later than February 15th) by calling 301-371-5617 or emailing me at dfine1443@gmail.com. Preregistration will facilitate knowing the quantity of materials needed and skill level of the participants. Preregistration will also help us determine quantity of fly tying equipment required for those who are ‘beginner’ fly tiers.
By Don Fine
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