Dry FliesPup-Ate
Hans Weilenmann's Pup-Ate builds a mottled abdomen from a four-color blend of UV Ice Dub and rabbit fur, ribbed in dark copper wire, under small ringneck pheasant neck feather wing pads. A soft collar of twisted pheasant aftershaft feather stands in for legs, giving the fly a buggy, general profile for mixed mayfly and caddis water.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
The abdomen mixes olive, ginger, grey, and brown UV Ice Dub with rabbit fur into a single blended dubbing, wound over a #12 hook and ribbed with dark copper wire for segmentation. Small ringneck pheasant neck feathers form paired wing pads, and a pheasant aftershaft feather twisted around the tying thread creates a soft, mobile thorax collar. The mottled body reads as neither a specific mayfly nor caddis but suggests both, which is the point of the design. It works as a searching pattern when several insects are emerging together and an exact match matters less than a convincing silhouette.
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:
- Mustad C49S #12
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, black
- Rib:
- Copper wire, dark
- Abdomen:
- UV Ice Dub and rabbit mix - olive, ginger, grey and brown
- Wing Pads:
- Ringneck pheasant neck feather
- Thorax:
- Ringneck pheasant aftershaft feather - twisted around tying thread
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Emerging caddis hang motionless in the surface film while their wings expand and harden, unable to escape for several critical minutes. This immobile phase attracts selective trout who recognize the extended vulnerability period and feed with minimal effort.
Where Trout Eat It: Surface film in tailwater runs, spring creek flats, weed edges, riffle-pool transitions, feeding lanes, and current seams.
How to Fish It: Cast upstream and allow a natural drag-free drift through feeding lanes because emergers drift helplessly during wing expansion. Add occasional subtle twitches when caddis are active to imitate egg-laying behavior or struggling adults. Allow the fly to swing at the end of the drift in current seams and along edges.
Best Water: Tailwater runs with smooth to moderate currents, spring creek flats, weed edges, riffle-pool transitions on freestone streams, feeding lanes, current seams, and lake near inlet streams during evening emergences.
Strike Type: Visible sip or subtle rise as trout confidently take immobile emergers. Watch for surface rings and minimal disturbance.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12ft 5X tippet for most conditions. In technical spring creek water or for selective fish, extend to 6X. Apply quality floatant to maintain high-floating profile throughout the drift. In pocket water, shorter 7.5ft leaders improve accuracy.
Seasonal Timing: Most productive late April through September, with peak effectiveness during June and July when both mayfly and caddis hatches are active. Fish during evening hours from 5 PM through dusk for best results, also effective during morning hatches. Continues producing through early fall when water temperatures are between 52-68°F because this temperature range triggers overlapping hatches.
Pro Tips: This pattern's dual imitation makes it effective when trout are feeding on multiple insect species simultaneously, a common scenario during peak summer months when hatches overlap throughout the day.
Entomology
Emerging caddis hang motionless in the surface film while their wings expand and harden, unable to escape for several critical minutes. This immobile phase attracts selective trout who recognize the extended vulnerability period and feed with minimal effort.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
