[J3000]

Went 3wt fishing on one of the little cascade creek and saw a TON of these pine needle covered caddis nymphs walking around in the side pools. I've fished this creek a lot and have never noticed them before. What are they?

 

[Cole L]

cased caddis pupae of some sort. I grew up taking apart the cases and putting those on hooks for bait.

 

[tackleman]

Yes caddis! Amazing creatures that will use whatever material there is around to build a case out of.
Saw some on the upper Skagit (BC) that had both wood and stone debris in the case.
Brachycentris(?)

 

[Preston]

There are many case-building caddis larvae and most show a marked preference for the materials they use; commonly large particles of sand and fine gravel or sometimes vegetable debris. While most moveable cases are round or oval in cross-section, some caddis species show a remarkable ability to build cases of vegetable debris that have a carefully engineered square (or nearly so) cross-section. Some caddis build immovable cases that look like little igloos built of small gravel particles glued securely to the rocks. Some non-case-building caddis prefer simply to spin a net down among the rocks to capture edible material from the current and some choose to go naked, crawling around their habitat grazing algae from the rocks.

 

[bobduck]

When I was younger I did the same thing as Cole L. That was before fly fishing. Back then we called them periwinkles. Worked great.

 

[madmike98]

How big were they??

 

[Batt B]

Fir needles

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

Dickfers

 

[The Duke]

Dickfers

What's a dickfer?

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

 

[Preston]

One of our very common case-building caddis larvae is that of the October Caddis (Dicosmoecus gilvipes), also known as the Orange Sedge or Giant Orange Sedge. It is the largest North American caddis. The larva of this caddis can be seen dragging its case along the bottom through much of the summer in local streams. Toward the end of August the larva hunkers down among the rocks, sealing itself into its case to begin its pupation. Completing this process sometime between the end of September to as late as the very first part of November (hence October Caddis), the pupa cuts its way out of the case to swim and crawl about for a few days before crawling up on rocks or logs along the shoreline to emerge from its pupal shuck as a mature adult.

 

[madmike98]

I've never actually seen the pupa before. Very cool pics.

 

[Preston]

Here's another picture of a pupa which I think is an October Caddis. It gives a better idea of what the pupa looks like in the water with its long, swimming legs and antennae.

Another interesting habit of the October Caddis larva is its custom of abandoning its case during the month of June to float downstream, au naturel, before settling down to build a new case. It's hard to imagine that the fish don't take notice of such a large chunk of protein offering itself up for lunch

 

[FinLuver]

Here's another picture of a pupa which I think is an October Caddis. It gives a better idea of what the pupa looks like in the water with its long, swimming legs and antennae.
View attachment 121830

Another interesting habit of the October Caddis larva is its custom of abandoning its case during the month of June to float downstream, au naturel, before settling down to build a new case. It's hard to imagine that the fish don't take notice of such a large chunk of protein offering itself up for lunch

Even Joey Chestnut knows when to say when...

 

[Jeremy Floyd]

Preston...

Are you pushing 250, or is it my failing eyesight?

 

[Preston]

??