Dry FliesCrazy Comet
Hans Weilenmann's Crazy Comet sets bead chain eyes ahead of a hot pink Diamond Braid body, a purple bucktail tail, and dark purple Coq de Leon hen saddle hackle, with a shot of fluorescent shrimp pink Krystal Flash for accent. The loud color combination is built to draw attention rather than match anything specific on the water.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Weilenmann leaned into pure attractor color theory with the Crazy Comet, stacking hot pink, purple, and fluorescent pink materials that have no direct match in nature. The bead chain eyes add weight and a bit of jigging action, while the Coq de Leon hen saddle keeps the hackle mobile in the water. It earns its place as a change-of-pace pattern when subtler mayfly and caddis imitations aren't drawing strikes.
Where to Buy This Fly
We only link to fly shops we trust. Some links are referral links, which may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Materials
- Hook:
- Tiemco 202SP #4
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, black
- Eyes:
- Bead chain
- Body:
- Diamond Braid, hot pink
- Tail:
- Bucktail, dyed purple
- Flash:
- Krystal Flash, fluorescent shrimp pink
- Hackle:
- Whiting Coq de Leon hen saddle, dyed dark purple
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Large mayflies and caddis create surface disturbance during emergence and egg-laying, with wings beating and bodies thrashing. Bold profiles trigger aggressive responses from opportunistic feeders.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish patrol the upper water column, rising aggressively to substantial surface prey in feeding lanes.
How to Fish It: Dead drift with occasional twitches, or skate across the surface to imitate active insects.
Best Water: Pocket water, tail-outs, seams, and foam lines in freestone rivers with broken surface texture.
Strike Type: Explosive rises with fish fully committing to the large, visible 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: Apply floatant to the CDC wing and hackle before each cast. The pattern's visibility makes it excellent for use as an indicator fly in a dry-dropper rig with a small nymph.
Entomology
Caddisflies emerging in heavy currents get swept along the surface while still partially trapped in their pupal shucks, trailing split cases behind them as they drift helplessly. Trout key on the extended profile and erratic movement of these half-emerged insects tumbling through fast water.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
