Dry FliesTummelweed
Hans Weilenmann's Tummelweed is a sparse caddis pattern tied with a mole-dubbed chestnut body, a partridge tail-barb wing, and a Coq de Leon hen hackle. The pale hackle and mottled wing give it a soft, translucent profile suited to picky trout on caddis-heavy water.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
The fly rides low on a fine Kamasan B175 hook, its chestnut-dyed mole dubbing forming a slim body while sparse partridge tail barbs stand in as the wing. A few turns of medium pardo Coq de Leon hen hackle support the fly without over-dressing it, keeping the silhouette close to a natural caddis or mayfly resting on the surface. Weilenmann ties it sparse enough to show through in flat or slow water, where a bushier pattern would look wrong to educated trout. It suits moving water and stillwater alike whenever adult caddis or mayflies are on the water from spring through fall.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- Kamasan B175 #16
- Thread:
- Benecchi 12/0, black
- Wing:
- Partridge tail barbs
- Hackle:
- Whiting Coq de Leon hen, medium pardo
- Body:
- Mole, dyed chestnut
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Dislodged insects tumble erratically through pocket water and broken surface currents, their unstable drift creating distinctive struggling behavior that trout recognize as vulnerable prey. This chaotic motion signals easy targets unable to escape or take flight.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish position in pockets behind structure and along complex current seams where tumbling insects naturally collect. Broken water concentrates these struggling drifters in predictable feeding lanes.
How to Fish It: Allow intentional drag to activate the tumbling action through pocket water and seams, letting current irregularities create authentic struggling behavior. The design exploits natural drift chaos rather than perfect presentation.
Best Water: Excels in pocket water behind structure, riffle edges with complex currents, and current breaks where tumbling insects concentrate naturally in broken surface flows.
Strike Type: Expect aggressive strikes as trout react to the struggling behavior with confident takes, often rising quickly to intercept before the tumbling insect drifts past.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on 9-12 foot leader with 4X-5X tippet. Allow natural drag to activate the tumbling action rather than achieving perfect drag-free drift in complex currents.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective during runoff April through June and activity July through August when water temperatures range 50-65°F. Peak effectiveness occurs during higher flows when dislodged insects tumble naturally in current.
Pro Tips: Strategic weight distribution creates natural tumbling action in current. Rather than fighting drag in complex currents, allow natural drift irregularities to activate the struggling insect behavior that triggers strikes.
Entomology
Wind-driven caddis accumulate in foam lines and current seams where they drift helplessly in concentrated rafts. Trout position themselves strategically below these collection zones, sipping insects methodically from the surface as the current delivers a constant food supply.
- Order
- Trichoptera
- Common Name
- Caddisfly
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- adult
