Cat's Fly Patterns and other Favorites

 

Cat's Caddis Larva aka Green Cheeseburger

This is another beautifully simple pattern from guide Cat Toy.  As the adage goes, simplicity is often the sign of brilliance.  This fly couldn’t be a more perfect example of this.  This fly accounts for more eats on her guide trips than any other fly. In fact, it has become known as “the Green Cheeseburger Caddis” because of how well it entices fish.  It produces fish on tailwaters as well as freestones, in spring and summer as well as during fall and winter. Available in olive, sand, chartreuse, caddis green, cream, and dark orange.

The fruition of this all-time favorite Cat's Caddis Larva came about fishing the Eagle River in Colorado.  Taking careful notes of color, volume size of the larva and meticulous detail to select the right materials to match became this larva.  Countless fishing success from the Eagle River, Dream Stream, Colorado River, the Fryingpan River, to the S. Platte River at Deckers and Cheesman Canyon, to the N. Platte River at Grey Reef, Miracle Mile, Fremont Canyon and the creeks, never disappoints the trout.

Burnt French Fry Leech

Guide Cat Toy is always watching, always observing, and always tinkering. This leech is another example based on her keen observation and refinement over days and days of guiding. This is a top producer for her on guide trips, from tailwaters to freestones. One of my all-time favorite leech patterns imitates a leech and small crayfish.  This workhorse leech has shocked me through the years with some of the best, big fish!  From the S. Platte River to Miracle Mile, when the bit is on for this leech, hang on!🎣

Foamie Homie

"The foamie homie was designed to resemble a midge pupa. This fly has a small, thin segmented detailed body with a foam wing. The foam wing allows the fly to have buoyancy, and sits higher up when submerged. This is usually fished on a nymphing rig behind either one or two flies. Underneath the wing you will find a subtle piece of flash that imitates the metallic looking air bubble caused when the wing emerges. Cast and then watch the heads turn." - Tyler Boroff  This is one of my favorite midges of Tylers.  So smooth and enticing to the trout.

Matchstick Midge

Another one of guide Cat Toy's go-to patterns that has proven itself day in and day out on all types of water and across all seasons.  It is no secret that fish eat lots of midges throughout the year.  In fact, experts have identified over 10,000 midge species.  After putting samples under a microscope, Cat created this fly to mimic the lighter shades...from tan to mahogany.  The bright rib and head help this fly stand out from the naturals.  

This midge is a creation from a water sample I collected from the S. Platte River, Deckers.  I took the sample home and placed under a microscope to identify and match this midge with thread color and segmentation.  Through the years, this little midge has been one of my most effective midge patterns.  Midges are among the most important food sources for trout because they are abundant throughout the year and can be especially important during periods when larger aquatic insects aren't active.

Cat's Matchstick Emerger

Another one of guide Cat Toy's go-to patterns that has proven itself day in and day out on all types of water and across all seasons. To capture the emergence phase, Cat adds a foam wingcase to her already dynamite matchstick midge. It is no secret that fish eat lots of midges throughout the year. In fact, experts have identified over 10,000 midge species. After putting samples under a microscope, Cat created this fly to mimic the lighter shades...from tan to mahogany. The bright rib and head help this fly stand out from the naturals, while the foam wing helps capture the phase when the insect is transitioning from nymph to adult.  

This fly pattern has been impressive producer as well as saving the day when fishing is tough.  A favorite for river and creeks including the S. Platte at Deckers and Cheesman Canyon, San Juan, Fryingpan to name a few.

Applet Midge

The Applet Midge came into creation while fishing the San Juan River in New Mexico.  Flows were increasing with very cloudy water conditions.  Sight fishing was nonexistent, and the challenge of figuring what the trout are eating subsurface would be the Applet Midge.  It’s a small midge imitation that can be very effective when trout are feeding on tiny midges, particularly in clear, slow-moving water.  Yet another successful fly pattern from the San Juan River, Eagle River, Colorado River, to the high alpine lakes and creeks. 

UV Orange Scud

Cased Caddis

A cased caddis is the larval stage of a caddisfly from the order, Trichoptera.  Unlike free-living caddis larvae, some species construct a protective case around themselves using materials they find on the stream bottom.  The remarkable thing about cased caddis is that the case often provides amazing camouflage, making the larva look like another small piece of the stream bottom.  Cased caddis can be surprisingly substantial meals.  The larva itself is soft and nutritious, while the case provides a distinctive package that trout can recognize as food.  They are not usually drifting freely in the current like a mayfly nymph, but instead, they spend much of their time attached to or crawling across the bottom.  A great year-round fly pattern, fish it down deep to the bottom.  You just might be surprised.

More to come.....