# Clearfork caddis hatch



## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

Fished with my good friend Ron T. today and when we arrived at the stream at about 2:00 pm there were fish rising steadily in a long run. We got busy and found them feeding on a pale olive caddis size 18. We put on a caddis dry fly and had good luck until about 4:00 pm. Air temp was about 43 degrees with intermitent ice pellets raining down on us. Water temp was a bit warmer...low 50's. These caddis flies were strugling on the surface and were dead ducks for the trout feeding on them. I've never seen so many surface feeding fish in one spot on the Clearfork, so this was nice. I've put a picture of the fly of choice...picture makes it look more of a bright green but a pale light olive is a better description of the true fly.

Hook: TMC dry fly #18
Body: light pale olive dubbing
Wing: Turkey biots tied "tent" style
Hackle: light dun


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## fishmerf (Mar 28, 2008)

Great report! Thanks for the heads up and the recipe. It sounds like you had a good afternoon.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

nice report and pattern. How do you tie those wings? ARe you clipping the backs off? They almost look like Z-lon.

Thank you,
Rickerd


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## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

Rickerd, take two turkey biots and put them together(concave to concave) and cut them at an angle. You then tie them on top of the fly with the concave side facing down. I just got back from PA and used the same type fly in tan and light olive and had very good luck with it. If you tie one cdc feather on top of that wing, it makes it easier to spot too. Once you get the hang of attaching the wings you can tie many of these in no time. On flat, clear water they worked much better than a regular cdc or elk wing caddis. On broken water I'd stick to the elk wing or cdc.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Striperrams,
I used your pattern to tie a few size 14 caddis in tan, olive and black. I also tied some emergers in size 16.
How do they look?
I will be trying them out at Oil Creek tomorrow.

Thank you,
Rickerd


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## striperrams (Aug 26, 2010)

Well done Rickerd! You're winding them up nicely. Here's a little trick that can help in a pinch. Clip off the bottom of the hackle (only the bottom portion). This will help the fly sit flush in the film while still giving the impression of legs. Also, if you can, try tying some up in sizes 16 and 18 in tan, brown and olive. I'll be hitting Oil Creek starting Sunday for several days. Based on the timing of the other hatches there this year (all have been 2-3 weeks early) you may want to have some sulphers with you in a size 16 and 18 and sulpher spinners (same size). Also some crane flies in 16 and 18 with colors being pale orange, pale yellow and brown. And of course an assortment of caddis's which by the looks of it, you are on your way. Finally, there may also be a hatch of March Browns/Grey Fox in sizes 12 and 14 with appropriate spinners of those! 2 years ago we were lucky enough to be on the water at dusk when a huge spinner fall of MB's came down and the water erupted for about 45 minutes with rising trout. Good luck!


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