Prepping for Caddis Season
- Logan Huff
- Mar 5
- 4 min read
Above: Claire and her dad Kyle with a nice caddis eater!
Introduction: Setting the Scene for the Pre-Caddis Season
It's no secret that our caddis season is a favorite of everyone who comes to fish the White. Looking at our guide calendar, we can see the excitement and anticipation for the season, as we have very few openings left for the spring.
It's also no secret that many of us guides spend the slower winters tying flies and prepping for the upcoming busy season. I can attest to having spent hours at the vise tying up hundreds of the same little flies that will soon be an enticing treat for one of our large brown trout.
With spring in the air, we are seeing temperatures in the mid-60s and into the 70s most days. The grass is turning green and the dogwoods are blooming, which all means our caddis season is close.
The Importance of Pre-Season Preparation
As guides, I bet we all have our own ways of getting ready for the busiest time of the year, but one thing we all do is tie flies for the upcoming season. Usually, I start filling my fly boxes by following the order of the major hatches, so the caddis patterns come first.
I usually kick things off by tying Sunday Specials. No matter how hard I try to find another "go-to" caddis pattern, there's just nothing that beats it. Once I'm done with the Sundays, I typically switch to Rootbeer midges. These are a must-have in everyone's box all year, but they really stand out during caddis season. After finishing up with the Root beers, I make sure to load up on some soft hackles and dries to cover all the stages of a caddis hatch. There are a few other patterns I like to experiment with, which I think is part of the fun of tying flies. Having the ability to add a hot-spot or a tail, or change the color of an often used pattern, might lead you to discover that your new creation fishes better than the original.
We sell all these flies in the shop, but spending some time tying them myself really helps me get ready for the season, both physically and mentally. When I finish up and look at my fly box, it feels great knowing I've got everything I need for a fun and successful time on the river. The satisfaction of watching someone catch a fish on a fly I tied, is one of the things I love most about fly fishing.
I really think confidence is more important for a fisherman than having some "secret fly," and being prepared for the season is a big part of building that confidence. A full box before the season allows me to come home and not have to "stress tie" before another day on the water. Instead, I can focus on a clean boat, rigged rods, and a tasty lunch to make the day more enjoyable.
A Guide to the Sunday Special
Clint Wilkinson came up with the Sunday Special a while back as a quick and easy way to whip up a Hare's Ear. It didn't take long for this fly to become a staple in almost every guide's box. It's super easy to tie, and when you get it just right, it actually gets "fishier" the more you use it. There are a bunch of different versions of the Sunday Special out there, but I'm going to talk about the version we sell and the one I fish with most often.
I tie my Sundays on an Umpqua U201 or U202 hook with a copper tungsten bead and a body made from Wapsi's Natural Fur Dubbing in a Light Hare's Mask color. Some people switch up the bead color, add a wire, throw in some flash, or use a completely different dubbing.
When I'm tying Sunday Specials, I like to use a thin dubbing "noodle" so I have more control over how the body is tapered. Getting a nice big taper on the body is key to giving the fly that cool caddis pupa shape. The last thing I do before I fish them is to give them a good brush with my dubbing brush to rough them up a bit and make them look a little more "buggy".
During peak caddis season, you'll often see me fishing with multiple Sundays at once, so I make sure to tie up about 8-10 dozen of each size to last me through the season. Good thing they only take a few seconds to tie!
Observing Nature as a Guide to Timing
People often ask us in the spring, "When do the Caddis start?" I usually say the peak is from mid-April to mid-May, but it really depends on the weather and water conditions. Back in the spring of 2025, it took a while for the water to warm up enough for the caddis to get moving and for the fish to start focusing on them. But if I had to take a guess for this year, I'd say we're in for an early caddis season. We've had a mild winter so far, with blooms and flowers popping up everywhere. I've even spotted a few caddis and heads showing up on the warmer afternoons. Although a lot can happen between today and April, and the water's still a bit chilly for the caddis to really kick off, it shouldn't be long now!
Before those bugs start popping I hope you find time to sit at the vise and prep that box for a day (or week) on the water chasing the fish of a lifetime. If you need some recommendations on flies or materials, we are happy to help with whatever it may be. So next time you're around, stop by, pour a drink, and lets chat about that day's "hot fly".
Below are links to materials and hooks for some caddis flies as well as some of our most popular patterns.
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