Dry FliesC-13 (Cicada-13)
Hans Weilenmann's C-13 pairs an olive fox squirrel and peacock SLF abdomen with a delta-shaped silver Z-lon wing and a dyed-olive deer hair collar for flotation. A short opal Krystal Flash tail adds sparkle, giving trout a buggy target during mixed caddis and mayfly activity.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Beginner
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Weilenmann tied the C-13 as a nod to Clark Reid's Clark's Cicada, though the name is more homage than exact imitation. The mixed fox squirrel and SLF Prism dubbing can be tinted to match the naturals on the water, and the delta wing sits lower than a traditional caddis tent for a more resting profile. Fish it dead-drift through riffles and pocket water whenever caddis and mayflies are both coming off.
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Materials
- Hook:
- Dry fly hook, #4-14 (#10 used in the video)
- Thread:
- Gudebrod 8/0, green
- Tail:
- Krystal flash, opal - short
- Abdomen:
- Fox squirrel, dyed olive; SLF Prism, peacock - mixed (or color to match the natural)
- Wing:
- Z-lon, silver - delta shape
- Collar/head:
- Deer hair, dyed olive (or color to match the natural)
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Adult caddis crash-land after mating flights, beating wings frantically while trapped in the surface film. These struggling insects provide high-calorie targets that trout recognize as easy meals during peak emergence periods.
Where Trout Eat It: Surface film along banks and overhanging vegetation where terrestrials naturally fall.
How to Fish It: Plop casts near banks create commotion that attracts fish, then allow drag-free drift with subtle twitches imitating struggling insects.
Best Water: Target banks with overhanging vegetation, foam lines, and structure where large terrestrials accumulate after wind deposits them.
Strike Type: Aggressive takes as opportunistic feeders respond to the large profile.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12 foot leader tapering to 5X tippet for delicate presentations. Apply floatant to the body and hackle.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective during peak feeding periods at dawn and dusk. Water temperatures between 45-65°F typically produce best results.
Pro Tips: During actual cicada emergences, fish will key on these large protein sources. Even outside emergence years, the large profile triggers strikes from opportunistic and aggressive trout.
Entomology
When adult caddisflies crash-land on the water after mating flights, they struggle to become airborne again, beating their wings frantically while trapped in the surface film. Trout recognize this energetic but predictable struggle as an easy high-calorie meal during peak emergence periods.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
