Dry FliesPuterbaugh Caddis Variant
The Puterbaugh Caddis Variant is a dry fly pattern designed by Gerhardt Lund Andersen. This effective pattern combines traditional materials with proven techniques for consistent results in a variety of water conditions.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Gerhardt Lund Andersen's variant on the classic Puterbaugh Caddis emphasizes natural material selection and realistic proportions. The elk hair wing and dubbed body create a lifelike caddis profile that floats well in moving water. Carefully matched hackle adds buoyancy while suggesting legs. The pattern's subtle coloration and shape appeal to selective trout during technical caddis hatches while remaining durable enough for aggressive fishing in pocket water and riffles.
Materials
Hook: Medium or fine wire dry fly hook sizes
Thread: 8/0, black
Body: Peacock herl or dubbing
Wing: Painted Brown Swiss Straw
Hackle: Dark Brown hackle
Legs: Orange grizzly rubber
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Adult caddis bounce along the surface in short hops as they attempt to dry their wings for flight, creating intermittent splashes that attract fish. During egg-laying, they dive and skate across the surface in frantic movements.
Where Trout Eat It: Surface and surface film in riffles, runs, and pocket water where caddis populations thrive.
How to Fish It: Present with a drag-free dead drift during emergence periods, followed by occasional skating and twitching motions to imitate egg-laying adults because these struggling behaviors make caddis vulnerable. The high-floating design allows for aggressive manipulation without sinking.
Best Water: Riffles, runs, pocket water of freestone streams, tailwater runs with moderate currents, current seams, and spring creek edges. Also productive in lake near inlet streams during evening emergences.
Strike Type: Visible eat or splash as trout intercept the skating or drifting fly. Surface disturbance and rings indicate takes.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12ft 5X tippet for balanced presentations. In technical water or for selective trout, extend to 6X. Apply generous floatant to maintain high-riding profile. In faster pocket water, 4X provides durability.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective late April through September during active caddis seasons, with peak effectiveness in June and July. Focus on afternoon through evening hours from 3 PM through dusk when caddis activity intensifies, continuing through October during fall caddis hatches. Most effective when water temperatures are 52-68°F because caddis emergence correlates with these conditions.
Pro Tips: The variant design provides enhanced visibility and floatation compared to standard caddis patterns, making it ideal for broken water and fast currents where trout need to locate the fly quickly.
Entomology
Caddis bounce along the surface in short hops as they attempt to dry their wings for flight, creating intermittent splashes. Fish track these stop-and-go movements, timing their rises to intercept the insects during the stationary moments between jumps.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult