On Central Oregon's famed Deschutes River, legend has it that the first
time one of the local guides was introduced to Lee Clark's Stonefly was
when he curiously plucked it from a near by tree branch - one angler's
stray back cast is another's pot of gold (or so the saying goes).
Finding the fly pattern interesting for its light design and clever use
of a new material, the guide quickly tied the bug to his leader and on
the first cast caught a 12-pound steelhead! Quite the fish tale, eh?
Clark's October Caddis is an easy-to-cast and highly effective
imitation of an adult October caddis. Clark began tying his now-famous
pattern way back in 1983 and no matter how anglers meet Lee Clark's
October Caddis, they just seem to fall in love. This fly is constructed
using light, buggy, and durable poly yarn and has been turning heads in
riffles and pools across the world for over three decades!
Specifications:
- This fly was developed in 1983 by Oregonian fly tyer and angler, Lee Clark, for the epic stonefly and caddis hatches of the roaring Deschutes River
- October caddis imitation in the adult life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Drift the fly through different water types; faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate to slow currents are the most productive water types for this fly
- Adding several twitches to the fly during the drift can be quite effective
- October caddis are available to trout in the Pacific Northwest and in the Rocky Mountain region from early fall (September) through early winter (November), with the best hatches occurring in October
- Hatches occur consistently and with long duration throughout the daylight hours
- Strikes on October caddis are often far from subtle
- When approaching a shallow water environment with a caddis imitation, be extremely careful not to spook happily feeding trout
- SIZE 10
When and Where to Fish Clark's October Caddis
This large sized adult caddis can be fished as either an
impressionistic fly pattern when searching for trout or as a realistic
imitation when matching the hatch. October caddis are active in trout
water throughout the western rivers of North America and are available
during early fall (September) to early winter (November). When
searching, fish this fly in riffles, well defined current seams, areas
below faster currents, and near exposed rocky structure and streamside
vegetation. Shallow water near the river bank will also be productive
when fishing an October caddis hatch, so be sure to survey the scene
thoroughly. These adults do not possess strong flying ability, however,
and are often swept into the main current’s drift – look for these
floating specimens in the main drift as well as shallower, less
energetic water near sheltered areas. Prior to and during an emergence,
an angler will easily spot large, orange and brown pupae moving from
the rocky depths to the shallower water along the river bank and
eventually to the surface of exposed rocks and vegetation to hatch into
winged adults – this is the sign to begin fishing the October caddis
hatch.
How to Fish Clark's October Caddis
Fish this fly in a variety of water types; a popular strategy is to
fish these patterns on a dead drift right through the main current –
drifting an adult October caddis through faster riffles, current seams,
and the slower water just below these areas can yield excellent
results. Adding several twitches during the drift can simulate the
egg-laying movements of these fertilized females, and is another highly
effective fishing technique. October caddis pupae emerge after moving
to the safety of the exposed rocks and vegetation near the shoreline
rather than completing their metamorphosis in the water’s surface film
like mayflies. This pre- and during-emergence behavior renders
shallower and calmer streamside water quite productive just prior to
and during an October caddis emergence and hatch. When these famous
caddisflies are active, trout prey on them hungrily and voraciously, so
don’t be surprised when you feel an aggressive take – set the hook
confidently and with care if you happen to be fishing with lighter
leaders and tippet material!
October Caddis
October caddis are large aquatic insects native to stretches of water
in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains, with the thickest
populations of these orange, brown, and black caddisflies occurring in
the Pacific states. The October caddis is sometimes referred to as the
“fall caddis” and follows the typical life cycle of incomplete
metamorphosis common to all caddis species. During the larval stage,
which is often spent in the faster water of rocky riffles and runs,
October caddis are easy to spot as they build protective cases from
sand and stone grains. After sufficient time within their rocky cases,
these larvae will migrate to shallower, calmer water at the margins of
a river. Here, these bright orange pupae will wait just a short while
before they find an exposed rock or log to emerge to winged adults. As
sexually mature adults, October caddis are darkly colored and quickly
move to streamside vegetation to mate. Fertilized females wait only a
few days to return to the water’s surface to drop their payload of eggs
in a vulnerable fluttering fashion. This egg-laying behavior is most
intense just before sundown and can provide aggressive trout with a
fantastic dinnertime meal. October caddis are most active during the
early fall month of September and continue their hatches through
November and are commonly found from dawn to dusk on trout water in
western North America.
October Caddis Adult Life Stage
After pupal migration to the exposed rocks and foliage near the
shoreline, October caddis split their distinctive orange cases, emerge
as winged adults, and quickly seek mates under the protective cover of
streamside vegetation. The fertilized females will wait a couple of
days before returning clumsily to the water, quickly darting to the
surface to deposit eggs, making themselves easy targets for aggressive
surface-feeding trout. Many of the male adults will fall from the
safety of streamside trees, weeds, and other vegetation. These
unfortunate bugs wind up swept along with the main current and will
often collect in the slower water of eddys and along deeper cut banks.
October caddis in their adult stage are large and easily spotted as
they are quite active during and after their streamside mating time.
Adults of the species take on a distinctive black, dull orange, or
brown coloration and boast long, darkly colored antennae as well as
prominent darkly colored eyes. Look for October caddis adults from
September to November on streams and rivers in western North America.
About the Tyer: Lee Clark
Lee Clark has been fishing and tying flies for decades from his home
base in the Pacific Northwest. He is primarily known throughout angling
and tying communities for popularizing the use of poly yarn in fly
tying during the early 1980s. His most famous fly pattern, Clark's
Stonefly, has caught fish from the Deschutes to the Big Horn and can be
found in just about every western fly angler's properly stocked fly
box. Clark regularly shares his knowledge and demonstrates his tying
skills at traveling fly fishing shows, has written several books on the
subject of fly tying, and is a contract fly designer for Umpqua Feather
Merchants.
Leland on Umpqua
In 1972 a man
named Dennis Black and his fly tying skills found themselves in high
demand. Mr. Black, then a professional production fly tyer, was famous
in the industry for his unsurpassed skill and speed with whipping up
tremendously beautiful and precisely constructed flies. It wasn’t long
until this young fly tying superstar realized that he ought to take his
consistent approach to quality to the next level. Shortly after this
realization, a small army of fly tyers had banded together to support
Mr. Black’s vision. With the likes of Dave Whitlock, Jack Dennis, and
Andy Puyans, Mr. Black was officially in business.
Dennis Black’s new
company Umpqua Feather Merchants quickly extended its reach and fly
production capabilities with expansion into India, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand, where the world’s first and full blown “fly tying factories”
were built. Since those early days, only the highest standard of
excellence has marked Umpqua and this commitment to quality and
efficiency continues to spur the company forward. Dennis Black’s
innovative vision for “fly production” has truly revolutionized how the
fly industry operates and has ultimately made the majority of
production flies better. From the first “royalty system” for rewarding
the most creative professional fly tyers to streamlining production
systems and offering a range of other products, Umpqua Feather
Merchants just seems to “do it all.”
Today, Umpqua Feather Merchants
is without a doubt the world’s best and most prolific supplier of hand
tied fly fishing flies as well as fly tying hooks and materials, and
they recently got better! Umpqua’s brand new, state of the art
headquarters in Louisville, Colorado marks another paradigm shift in
the way fly tying business is done. From its vast warehouse to its
specially designed inventory management and tracking system, Umpqua is
poised to continue its energetic trajectory and lead the way for the
next generation of flies and fly tyers.
Umpqua on Umpqua
"As
you may or may not know, we're the largest producer of quality
hand-tied flies in the world. We also make available through your local
fly shop a wide array of the finest fly-tying hackle and Tiemco hooks.
At Umpqua we offer everything the angler needs to a have a first
class fishing experience. (Everything that is, but the water and the
fish.)"
Umpqua on Dennis Black and the “Obvious Quest”
“The
idea first took shape in the hands of our founder, Dennis Black, back
in 1972. As a fast and facile professional fly tyer, Dennis was known
for his skill and speed at producing hundreds of dozens of flies each
year for the larger mail order houses. But he was also quick to realize
how fast the demand for excellent flies would outstrip the abilities of
cottage industry types like him.
The Obvious Quest: To create
excellent flies in sufficient supply – without sinking his standards.
In response, Dennis developed (with characteristic care) a methodical
plan: First, he enlisted the tying expertise of the likes of Dave
Whitlock, Jack Dennis, Andy Puyans and others, to help him set the
standard of excellence for Umpqua flies.
Next, Dennis established the
first of what would eventually be five separate fly-tying “factories,”
first in India, then in Sri Lanka, and finally in Thailand. The primary
focus at each of these factories was on producing the very best fishing
flies possible, constructed of the very best materials available. From
the beginning, the quantity of flies produced was secondary to the
quality and excellence of each fly pattern. These high standards were
assured by the personal involvement of the fly designers themselves,
and by the ever-increasing skill, imagination and creativity of the
Umpqua production fly tiers. Today, you will find no flies more
skillfully tied than those available from Umpqua Feather Merchants.
Finally, Dennis created a system of royalty payments, to reward
professional tyers like Whitlock, Lefty Kreh, Randall Kaufman, Larry
Dahlberg, and Bob Popovics for uniquely good patterns.
The Result:
Today, Umpqua produces umpteen thousand dozen flies, from micro-scopic
midge imitations to the huge patterns favored by marlin and sailfish.
And the "Umpquality" – you’ll see for yourself.”
