CADDIS-FLIES (Trichoptera).
Every fisherman knows the Caddis-worm, which is the larval form of the
Caddis-fly. As the number of different species of Trichoptera is very
large, there are many different sorts of Caddis-worms. Some of these
make cases which they fix to rocks; most of them however have cases
which they drag about with them, and retire into it when any danger
approaches. These cases vary much in shape and the materials of which
they are made. Some species are however, as a rule to be found in almost
every water. They are extremely interesting to watch, though, if they
are accidentally introduced into a hatching trough containing trout ova,
they will destroy the eggs. Caddis worms are taken freely by trout, and
I have frequently found them, contained in their cases, in the stomachs
of trout.
The Caddis or Sedge flies, as I have pointed out, are a very numerous
family, and most of them are taken very readily by the trout. These
flies, when on the water, generally have their wings in the position of
rest. Notwithstanding this fact, the wings of the imitation Sedges are
always put in an upright position, while the position of the wings at
rest in the natural flies is practically the same as in the case of the
Alder, though the lower edges of the wings do not, as a rule, come quite
so low in relation to their bodies.
THE GRANNOM (_Brachycentrus subnubilus_, Curt.).
This fly is extremely numerous on many of the streams in the South, and
is so well known to the fisherman that a description is almost needless.
It appears about the middle of April, and lasts five or six weeks,
though Ronalds says that he has found them in the stomachs of trout as
late as August.
The bunch of eggs which the female carries at the tail is best
represented by winding on some bluish-green floss silk or wool at the
end of the body, which should be carried well down on the bend of the
hook, as shown in the illustration of the imitation fly.
_Body._ Light coloured fur from hare's face, with green floss silk or
wool at the tail. If ribbed with narrow gold tinsel is sometimes more
successful.
_Hackle._ Light ginger, or, better still, a hackle dark in the centre
and light ginger at the ends.
_Wings._ The lightest-coloured feathers from a partridge's wings.
_Hook._ No. 1--3, new size.
(Plates I. and III. give illustrations of the natural and artificial
Grannom.)
THE SAND FLY (_Limnephilus flavus_, Steph.).
Mr. Halford points out in his _Dry-Fly Entomology_, that Ronalds was
mistaken in calling this fly the Sand-fly, as the true sand-fly is one
of the Diptera. I take it, however, that in either case this is but a
popular name; and as almost all former writers on the subject seem to
have described the Sand-fly as being a common Caddis-fly, I think that
in adhering to the old name I shall avoid confusing the fisherman.
This fly is one of the most useful of all the Caddis-flies, as it is
hatched out in April, and lasts almost all the season. There are several
other Caddis-flies which come out later in the year, that resemble it
very closely both in colour, shape, and size. The wings are of a yellow
ochre colour, barred with brown, the body is covered with short hairs of
a light fawn colour, and the fly is about the same size as, or a little
larger than, the Grannom.
The dressing given below, if slightly modified, will serve for several
of the other Caddis-flies which come out later in the season.
_Body._ Light-coloured fur from hare's face, ribbed with orange silk. If
ribbed with narrow gold tinsel is sometimes more successful.
_Hackle._ Light ginger.
_Wings._ The part of quill feather of a hen pheasant's wing that is
yellow, barred with brown, or a similarly barred part of the quill
feather of a woodcock.
_Hook_. No. 1--3, new size.
(Illustrations of the natural and artificial fly are given in Plates I.
and III.)
THE RED SEDGE (_Anabolia nervosa_, Steph.).
There is a Caddis-fly which appears on the water about the beginning of
June, and which I have seen in great numbers as late as the middle of
October, that does not seem to have obtained a popular name among
fishermen.
Its wings are very much like those of the Alder in shape and veining,
and the fly is nearly the same size, though perhaps it is, on an
average, very slightly smaller. Here, however, the resemblance ends. Its
anterior wings are of a light reddish-brown colour, and are more
transparent than are those of the Alder. The body is also shorter in
proportion to its wings, and is closely covered with light yellow hairs,
which, on the darker background of the body, gives it a greyish-yellow
appearance.
This fly is taken freely by both trout and grayling, and I have seen
dace feeding on it greedily.
_Body._ Lightest yellow fur from the water-rat, spun on black silk.
_Hackle._ Light red.
_Wings._ The peculiar shape and colour of the wings are best represented
by the tip of a feather covering the roots of the quill feathers in the
wing of the landrail. These feathers are of a reddish brown colour, and
are found near the upper edge on the outer surface of the wing. The most
superficial and reddish feathers are the best. These feathers should be
taken from opposite wings, and prepared by stripping off some of the
fibres so that they may appear as shown in the illustration of the
artificial fly on Plate III. Plate I. gives an illustration of the
natural fly.
_Hook._ No. 9--4, new size.
THE WELSHMAN'S BUTTON (_Sericostoma collare_, Pict.).
This fly is very numerous in some places, and is taken readily by trout.
The body of the imitation is generally made of peacock herle, but this
makes it much too thick. The fly generally appears early in June.
It is said that this fly is often mistaken for the Alder, but it should
be easy to discriminate between them. In the Alder the anterior wings
are smooth, broad and strong, in the Welshman's Button they are covered
with hairs and narrow. This fly is usually smaller than the Alder.
_Body._ Reddish brown wool, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
_Hackle._ Yellow centre with black ends.
_Wings._ From reddish quill feather of landrail.
_Hook._ 2--4, new size.
THE CINNAMON FLY (_Mystacides longicornis_, Linn.).
There are a large number of small Caddis-flies which are very much alike
in appearance. The anterior wings are long and narrow, and are brown
barred with dull yellow. They hover in great numbers by bushes and trees
overhanging the water, and are taken readily enough by trout. I have
chosen the _Mystacides longicornis_ as being one of the commonest and
most typical. An illustration of the natural fly is given on Plate I.
and of the artificial on Plate III.
_Body._ Light fur from hare's face.
_Hackle._ Ginger.
_Wings._ Narrow piece from well barred quill feather of hen pheasant.
_Hook._ No. 0--2, new size.
THE CAPERER (_Halesus radiatus_, McLach.).
This fly, which is well known to fishermen and appears as a rule in
August, is one of the largest Sedge-flies. Its wings are mottled brown
and covered with hairs. Several other Sedges somewhat resemble it.
(Illustrations of the natural and artificial flies are given on Plates
I. and III. respectively.)
_Body._ Brown fur from hare's face.
_Hackle._ A badger hackle, the light parts of which are of a pale dull
yellow colour.
_Wings._ From the dullest mottled quill feather of a hen pheasant.
_Hook._ No. 3--5, new size.
There are many other Caddis-flies, but the following dressings, perhaps
slightly modified to imitate certain flies more closely, will be found
to cover most of them.
1. _Body._ White wool, ribbed with narrow silver tinsel.
_Hackle._ Pale ginger.
_Wings._ Brown quill feather of landrail.
_Hook._ No. 0--3.
2. _Body._ Hare's face, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
_Hackle._ Brown ginger.
_Wings and Hook_ as No. 1.
3. _Body._ Pale yellow wool, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
_Hackle._ Coch-y-bondu.
_Wings._ Speckled quill feathers of pheasant's wing.
_Hook_ as No. 1.