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Caddisfly Life Cycle & Hatch

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  Caddisflies haven’t gotten the love historically that mayflies have gotten from anglers.     However, that seems to be changing.    One night at dinner with my friend Nino he was making fun of me on how many flies we carry at RiverBum.    Nino likes to get a good rise out of my wife and I, and this night was no exception.    He belts out “all I need are three flies.    Adams, Tan Caddis, and Pheasant tails, and I’ll out fish anyone”.    Of course, I shot back as to why he’s always panhandling for flies out of my fly boxes.    The point is, caddis have a very worthy place as a top insect to carry in your box, and know their behavior.     Where can you find them?   Caddis flies are found in ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers. Cased caddis surrounds themselves with debris to make their own cases so they can hide and grow while having protection as they move.   You can determine water quality by the presence of caddis. Caddis do not like water pollution and cannot thrive in
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Tips and Strategies for a PMD Hatch

If you have ever tried dry fly fishing during a hatch, you already know that it can be equally exciting and frustrating at the same time. Understanding PMD mayfly behavior patterns will help you become more successful next time!   They are abundant, widespread in all types of rivers from small spring creeks to big tailwater rivers, emerge slowly enticing trout to feed on them, and their hatches are fairly consistent for three to six weeks, which means if you miss them one day you should find them still hatching the next.   Where and when The hatch of course varies, but start looking for bugs in early June.    During a PMD hatch, try fishing in the tail of a pool or a long run, particularly where the water shallows and nymphs are concentrated in the water column. Fish will tend to stack up in these areas to feed on drifting duns as well as emerging nymphs, cripples, and drowned adults.   Nymphs are restless a few hours before they emerge. At this time, you will want to
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Types of Euro Nymphing

  European nymphing sounds new to many American anglers, but its been around for long time.   It’s a great way to fish and can be very productive.      These techniques generally put emphasis on line control and quick sinking flies to directly connect to the fish. Moreover, it lets anglers detect the subtlest strikes.   RiverBum carries all the equipment and flies you will need to get started on Euro fishing, including long rods and long leaders.   Let’s talk about the basics of   European nymphing styles, as well as the flies that are appropriate for each of them.   We’ll also recommend some good Euro nymphing fly rods along the way, as well as some of our most productive patterns.   Czech nymphing   The technique: Czech nymphing is all about short distance casts with multiple weighted nymphs on leaders between two-thirds and three-fourths the length of the rod. You are essentially using a lob cast to propel flies directly upstream, then waiting for them to sink to
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The Sulfur Hatch

  Springtime means warm weather, which is a perfect time for mayflies to emerge and for fish to feed. In many areas of the country, April and May start off trout season.    Emergence of this hatch is likely to occur in the midafternoon, and spinnerfalls occur in the evening. Around May, when temperatures are reaching the 70s in many areas of the country, sulfurs are likely to emerge in the middle of the month!   During this time, it may be time to shop for a sulfur dry fly here at RiverBum. We have all the popular patterns that will attract fish and help you bring fish to hand.   Not sure which sulfur dry fly to use? Knowing and understanding the sulfur hatch will help you make an informed choice. Read on to know more about it:   When and where   These mayflies are referred to as ‘sulfurs’ because of the color of their bodies: pale, yellow-bodied with gray wings.   Nymphs drift for some time just below the surface as they begin to emerge, and these floating nymphs cause ri
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Skwala Stoneflies

  The skwala belongs to the family of stoneflies. Come spring, it is among the first ones to hatch. These bugs are known for their smaller, dark bodies and they crawl onto brushy areas and banks to hatch. All stoneflies go through incomplete metamorphosis, with three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. When the skwala stonefly starts moving, that’s your cue to use big dry flies. Fishing with a skwala dry fly can provide anglers lots of opportunities and a great experience, whether you’re looking into streamer fishing or nymphing.   Early spring is the best time to nymph a small olive nymph pattern when the skwala fly starts to hatch. When you start to see trout rising, nymphs crawling on rocks, or fresh empty shucks on banks, you may want to start using a good skwala dry fly pattern. At RiverBum , we carry a great selection of flies you can use, such as Britten Jay’s Skwala Stone, which is designed to attract trout. It’s a good high floating fly for a hopper dropper rig, too.
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Stoneflies

  Stoneflies pack a large protein punch for trout.    These large insects are an important part of a trout’s diet.    The prime habitat for these nymphs is at the rocky bottom of the faster-moving areas of a river, as they require well-oxygenated and clean water to thrive.    The presence of stoneflies is normally a good indication of water quality.   Stoneflies go through an incomplete metamorphosis; depending on their species, they can spend up to three years as nymphs before becoming an adult. When they hatch, mature nymphs crawl along the bottom of the river to the shore, then crawl out of the water to shoreline vegetation or exposed rocks. When they move to the shore, they easily get swept off the bottom where they become easy prey. Adult stoneflies emerge from their old nymphal shuck to fly off eventually, with the purpose of finding a mate.   When using stonefly nymphs, make sure that they resemble actual stoneflies in that stage with their prominent two tails, two wingc
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Line Weight for Floating Line, Sink Tip Fly Line, and More

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  Fly lines are available in different weights.    Weight is indicated in grains, where there are 14 grains in a gram. Sounds confusing? Don’t worry, American manufacturers have provided a scale that is easier to remember so you can easily determine the weight for different lines. The fly line weight scale runs from 1 to 14, with 1 being the lightest and 14 being the heaviest fly lines.   Getting the wrong fly line weight can mean disaster in your casting.    It’s important to know what you’re fishing for and get the right fly line weight for the job. Here is a quick guide:   1-3 – Best for small fish, and in rare instances, large trout in small streams 4 – Versatile enough for panfish and large trout, suitable for small to mid-size streams 5 – An all-around line weight for most trout fishing situations 6 – Another all-around weight for larger trout and bass 7 – Ideal for catching powerful, bigger fish like bass, as well as steelhead
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