LaFontaine Diving Caddis

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the LaFontaine Diving Caddis. If you’re a frequent visitor to RiverKeeper Flies, you might recognize a theme of several LaFontaine Caddisflies, including the LaFontaine Deep Sparkle Pupa and the LaFontaine Emergent Pupa.

Brown & Green Diving Caddis

In the past week or so, we’ve been fishing later and later into the evening. I expect to see a multitude of caddis hatching in July, August, and September. But October…not so much. Well, I’m wrong. Perhaps I should be more observant! They still are out there and the fish are taking them with splashy rises. 

An Amber Iris Caddis has been working, but I’m not sure why. I couldn’t see any caddis hatching. There were caddis laying eggs on the water and I thought the body color was close…and fish took it. But those splashy rises were interesting. 

Well, out came the Caddisflies book again. And I reread about the LaFontaine Diving Caddis. Several adult caddis lay eggs by diving into the water. Perhaps that’s what the fish were taking.

Did you know Gary LaFontaine identifies 15 different Diving Caddis patterns?

Yes, 15!!!

1. Brown & Yellow Diving Caddis
2. Brown & Green Diving Caddis
3. Dark-Gray Diving Caddis
4. Ginger Diving Caddis
5. Brown Diving Caddis
6. Black Diving Caddis
7. Gray & Yellow Diving Caddis
8. Gray & Brown Diving Caddis
9. Gray & Green Diving Caddis
10. Brown & Orange Diving Caddis
11. Brown & Dark-Blue Diving Caddis
12. Black & Yellow Diving Caddis
13. White Diving Caddis
14. White & Bright-Green Diving Caddis
15. Tan & Pale-Green Diving Caddis

I never would have guess there were so many variations! How about you?

Well, I’m still learning.

Pick up a copy of Caddisflies for your fly fishing library.

Enjoy…go fish!