Dry FliesRegular
Hans Weilenmann's Regular nods to Fran Betters' Usual, swapping in cream snowshoe hare for the tail and collar over a grey mink underfur body and head. The pared-down materials give it a neutral, translucent profile that hints at a mayfly or caddis without committing to either.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
Cream snowshoe hare forms both the tail and a hair collar, framing a body and head dubbed from grey mink underfur on a small #15 hook. The snowshoe fibers trap air and stay buoyant even after repeated drifts, while the plain grey underfur keeps the silhouette neutral rather than tied to one insect. Hans Weilenmann ties it as a direct tribute to Fran Betters' Usual, using the same stripped-down approach of hair and fur instead of hackle and quill wings. It suits general searching on water where trout are feeding but not locked onto one specific hatch.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- Tiemco 102Y #15
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, grey
- Hair collar:
- Snowshoe, cream
- Tail:
- Snowshoe, cream
- Body:
- Mink underfur, grey
- Head:
- Mink underfur, grey
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Adult insects drift on the surface during hatches with wings held upright or folded, riding downstream as they dry before taking flight. Anglers target these floating stages because fish feed confidently on abundant surface prey that can't quickly escape.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish take drifting adults in the surface film throughout freestone streams, tailwaters, spring creeks, and along weed edges and drop-offs in ponds.
How to Fish It: Dead drift with drag-free float through feeding lanes. Add occasional subtle twitches when targeting caddis-feeding fish to suggest natural movement on surface.
Best Water: Focus on moderate current seams, tail-outs, foam lines, and pocket water during hatches. Also productive along weed edges and drop-offs in lakes.
Strike Type: Watch for visible rises, subtle sips, or splashy eats depending on current speed and fish mood.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Use a 9-12 foot leader tapered to 4X-5X tippet (5-6 pound test). Apply quality floatant to the hackle and body for extended floatation.
Seasonal Timing: Most productive from April through October, with peak effectiveness during mayfly emergences in May through July and caddis activity from June through September. Fish this pattern during morning and evening feeding periods.
Pro Tips: The upright wing and hackle profile make this an excellent searching pattern in pocket water. Size 12-16 covers most situations. Change fly size based on the naturals you observe on the water.
Entomology
Caddisflies paddle awkwardly on still water using their legs as oars, moving slowly toward emergent vegetation for shelter. Their labored surface progress makes them conspicuous targets for fish patrolling shallow margins where aquatic and terrestrial zones overlap.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
