Squeeky’s Missouri River Caddis Box

My Caddis box for the last few years. I have another less used box full of caddis flies that used to work.

They probably still do but they have fallen out of my personal favor.

Still rocking another full box or two of soft hackle caddis flies.

But this is my primary caddis box. If I cannot find it in this one I must not need it.

It does not mean that the flies in this box actually work all the time. They commonly do, and they commonly do not.

This last week it has been my go to box when the fish stop eating the PMD. Find a tough fish that will not succumb to a Trico or a PMD? Try a skittering caddis.

You can get away with a bit of slide on your fly and the fish may still be interested.

Try the caddis. This is a caddis river.

With the lack of caddis last year, 2014, we are so stoked to see them buzzing around. Are they as thick as I have seen them? No. Not at all. But they are a player morning til night.

A few guides and shop staff heading out after work and finding success with the poor flying moth like caddis fly. Honest.

The reports are pretty good yes sir. Shuttles after the others shut down for the day. Come in late and fish til dark!

 

Top Row: X-Caddis in a few sizes. 12-18. Great fly here on the Mo. Low Rider is the key so many of the flies ride in the film. Thanks Craig Mathew’s. Outrigger Caddis. Not as good this year? Kingreys Hi-Viz and Others. Flat winged beaut’s! Delta Winged Missouri River Specials and King’s River Caddis. A perfect profile. Black Slick Water Caddis for night time use or at dusk. A dark winged fly can stand out well against the late evening glare!

2nd Row:  Bloom’s Caddis and Stalcups Caddis. Both excellent. The Bloom’s Caddis is righteous. A great Mo River fly pattern. And you can see it! Some Elk Hair, Slickwater, and other hair winged flies. Angleo’s Cut Wing, homegrown, Translucent Emergers, and Stalcups Clear Winged. Double Duck, Cornfed Caddis, CDC patterns, Stocking Winged, Buzzballs, and Spents.

3rd Row:  Buzzball’s, Cluster Midge, Spruce’s. Hairwinged and Bloom’s. Grey Trudes. A great pattern I learned from Neale Streaks. Skittering Caddis. A good afternoon idea. Elk Hairs, Poly Winged floaters. CDC and Elk size 15-17. A very good pattern as the fish get stinky later in July! Bailey’s Stocking Winged Caddis tied in Italy. Translucent Pupa’s and Translucent Emergers. A bundle of folks use these flies daily. Try it! Some fuzzy and Hi Viz in the last bin.

4th Row: Flat Winged Para’s and Spruce Moth. Small X-Caddis 16, 18, 20. Various Spent Caddis including Pat Elam’s Spent tied for the Mo. Translucent Pupa’s. Spents, Fuzz Face, Cut Wings, etc. Stocking Wings and other CDC winged caddis flies.

Boxes like this one above are always a work in progress. Flies fall in and out of favor with both fish and fishermen.

How do you roll? Love just a few or do you love lots of patterns? Some stay true to just a few.  I go the other way. I am a collector and fly hoarder. Love flies for sure. Yes I do.

The caddis should be in play for some time and are always a favorite for Missouri River fly fishing anglers. It is prevalent up and down the Missouri River corridor.

Mostly tan and some dark and some green flies in our mix. Always a good idea to tie on a tan one. You cannot go wrong if you only fish the tan ones.

Try a caddis fly next time you are frustrated with the mayfly reaction here on the river.

See you this holiday for fun on the river and in town later that night. Rocket to Uranus playing on Izaak’s Porch @ 8pm. Fun all day long at Headhunters. See you beginning at 6am and late til 9pm daily.