In the Pacific Northwest where the rivers are wide and ranging and the
trout and steelhead are aggressive surface-feeders, waking and skating
flies have become go-to patterns when the day's goals include some
heavy hitting top water action.
Of the popular skating patterns out there, an offering from creative
fly tyer, Mike Mercer, always seems to rise above. Mercer, known for
his ingenious and forward thinking fly designs, combined the
high-floating, waking ability of closed cell fly tying foam with the
classic profile of a standard October Caddis pattern to create a clever
skating bug that has taken western waters by storm.
Mercer's Foam October Caddis Skater is an awesome imitation of an adult
October caddis. This fly's "double-tongued" foam design allows it to
skitter and skate across the surface of a favorite seam. If you're
interested in some serious Pac Northwest top-feeding trout, you simply
can't ignore this fly.
Specifications:
- A clever fly pattern designed by creative fly tyer, Mike Mercer, to take advantage of the aggressive, surface feeding trout and steelhead of the Pacific Northwest
- The pattern is tied with a "double-tongue" of closed cell foam and retains the classic profile of a standard October Caddis pattern
- October caddis imitation in the adult life stage
- Use as either an impressionistic searching fly or as a realistic imitation when matching the hatch
- Skate the fly through faster riffles and shallower water near the banks of a river with moderate currents
- Adding several twitches to the fly during the skate 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 8
When and Where to Fish Mercer's Foam October Caddis Skater
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, and is most effective when skated on
the surface of moderate-to-fast water. 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 Mercer's Foam October Caddis Skater
Fish this fly in a variety of water types; skate this October caddis
through faster riffles, current seams. The the moderately-paced water
just below these areas can yield excellent results. Adding several
twitches during the skate can simulate the egg-laying movements of
these fertilized females as well as the efforts to flutter away from
the drift by newly-hatched adults, 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: Mike Mercer
Mike Mercer is a self-proclaimed “hopeless fly fishing junkie with an
incurable addiction to the vise.” Such honest and direct words are not
surprising from Mr. Mercer, a fly angler and tyer known for his
innovative uses of fly tying materials and creative fly designs. In
fact, it wouldn’t be off the mark to say his fly patterns actually
reflect both his honesty and directness.
Mercer has been fishing all his life, but catching his first smallmouth
bass on a fly rod blew open the proverbial gates, sending him deep into
the fly fishing world. With the help of his grandfather’s old pickup
truck, Mercer explored the fantastic trout water of California’s rich
wilderness areas. With his youthful enthusiasm for traveling with a fly
rod, he actually opened a fly shop of his own. At Mike Mercer’s Rod and
Fly (doubling as the basement of his parents’ house) a fly fisher could
find a selection of custom fly rods, fly fishing and fly tying
magazines, and Mike himself, behind the vise, whipping up box loads of
custom flies.
As a fly fishing guide, writer, travel consultant, and creative fly
tyer, Mercer has been able to form a unique perspective on the sport
and share it with other fly anglers across the world. His fly designs
have appeared in magazine, in books, and with the help of Umpqua
Feather Merchants, anglers across the globe have been able to fish a
Mike Mercer creation hard and with great success in waters near and far.
Mercer’s designs often hinge on an idea that “seems obvious” but from a
design perspective, these are often the very best kinds of ideas.
Mercer continues to create great flies and is a tremendous resource to
the fly fishing and fly tying community.
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.”