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Sedge Or Caddis
We are creating profiles for the natural flies that are relevant to fly fishing and the fly fisherman, if there are any flies that you wish to have listed here please send details to andy@ukfishersonline.com
Sedge - (Caddis Fly) - Trichoptera - Limnephilidae
This is quite a large order of insects with wings which, when at rest, are held along the body in the form of a ridge tent or a roof. The main characteristic of Sedge flies is their long antennae - which in many species are more than twice the length of the body.
There are approximately 300 or species of Sedge flies in the British Isles but most of these are quite rare, very small and can be totally nocturnal, so that the number of Sedge flies which hold a particular interest to fly fishermen is actually quite small. They range in colours with the most common being anything from browns and greens with all the drab shades in between.
Sedge - (Caddis Fly) - Larval Stage
The Sedge (Caddis) is unusual when in its larval stage as it will build itself a little cocoon around its body from the substrate found on the river or lake bed. Sedge flies begin life as caterpillar-like larvae, commonly called caddis grubs.
They remain in these portable cocoons for the best part of a year (the average life span) before becoming a pupa.The larval stage of the Sedge is not very important to the fly fisherman, it is the pupa and the the adult stage which offers the best chance to take a trout using Sedge or Caddis flies.
Sedge - (Caddis Fly) - Pupa Stage
Approximately 3 weeks before the larva becomes an adult Sedge, the larva will seal the entrance to its casing and pupate within it. When fully developed the pupa will break the seal and crawl out of its casing, then swim to the waters surface and hatch into an adult.
The Sedge empty casings can often be found floating on the surface especially at the windward end of a lake where there could literally be hundreds of these "used" casings. The observation of these casings, indicate the mass hatching of Sedges. It is now the ideal time to be fishing with an imitation of the sedge pupa or adult Sedge.
Imitation
A standard Sedge pupa imitation is pictured here and would be fished with a slow sink and fast and "twitchy" draw, on a floating line, making the fly ascend rapidly in the water.
You can expect some smash takes and some bow waving when fishing this fly and method.
Sedge - (Caddis Fly) - Adult Stage
Sedges (Caddis) are the aquatic equivalent to our butterflies and moths. The adult sedge looks very similar to a moth with its wings folded back like a roof when at rest.
When the pupal stage hatch out onto the surface they will literally make a break for cover and skitter across the surface until their wings dry enough for them to be able to fly. The feeding trout will chase, jump and cause bow waves in their efforts to eat them.
Adult Sedges can live anywhere from 2 - 8 weeks. Most Sedges can complete one or two generations per year, with some of the larger species taking up to 2 years to complete a full life cycle.
Imitation
Using an imitation of the adult sedge at the right time can provide for some exciting sport. Making the fly dance and skitter across the surface will induce the trout to chase and bow wave in a manner not often seen, and to the untrained eye it will look like the trout have gone completely mad!!.
Be sure to make your leader sink and to keep the fly on the surface creating a little wake as you retrieve. Keep a careful eye on the water just behind the fly, looking for the chasing trout, very often when a trout is seen chasing, speeding up the retrieve will result in a take, where as slowing down or stopping the retrieve will cause the trout to lose interest and turn away. Expect some smash takes and do not use too light a leader.