Saddle Case Caddis

Other Common Names: Igloo Caddis

Scientific Name: genus Glossosoma

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LARVA SIZE: 3-7 mm LARVA COLOR: Tan, cream, yellow with pink tinge PUPA SIZE: 3-7 mm PUPA COLOR: Tan or green body, tan or light green shroud ADULT SIZE: 3-7 mm ADULT COLOR: Tan or olive-brown body, tan, brown, or gray wing OTHER CHARACTERISTICS: Larva lives under dome-shaped case made from small pepples. Body, wing, and shroud colors can vary, so it's always best to check a natural insect where you are fishing. Colors will darken when the insect is ready to lay eggs.

About Saddle-case Caddis

These little guys build a dome-like case from pebbles and attach it to a large rock in a riffle or a run with moderate to fast current. They are so firmly attached and protected that cased larvae are rarely found drifting in the current.

However, a larva will outgrow its shelter and leave it to build a new one. This happens often enough that uncased larvae are regularly seen--and eaten--by trout. So a creamy larva pattern dead-drifted near the bottom is a reasonable tactic in waters that are rich in saddle-case caddis.

Pupation occurs in the same water that the larvae lived in. During a hatch, dead-drift a pupa pattern near the bottom using trout indicator or tight line tactics; present the fly in riffly water or just below riffles. An unweighted pupa pattern can also be drifted near the surface, or you can present a Soft Hackle with a wet-fly swing.Another good strategy is a dry fly with a pupa pattern as a dropper or trailer; the dry fly acts as an indicator and sometimes is taken by the trout.

After the hatch, errant and unlucky adults fall onto the water, and a dry fly is the right choice. Bankwater downwind or downstream from overhanging trees is a good place to cast your dry.

Females swim or crawl underwater to lay eggs. You can fish a dry at this time, or go subsurface with a Soft Hackle or Diving Caddis pattern.

Articles About Saddle-case Caddis

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Saddle-Case Caddis Despite its abundance, the saddle-case caddis (genus Glossosoma) is often slighted by anglers. The most important stage to imitate may be the one most Western anglers fail to recognize. by Jeff Morgan

Hidden Adults Some adult insects dive or crawl underwater to lay their eggs. What's the best way to imitate this behavior? by Jeff Morgan

Caddis Larvae--Part I Imitations of caddis adults and pupae are staples of a well-stocked Western fly box, but larva imitations are generaly absent. And the rare angler that carries larva patterns usually has the wrong ones. by Jeff Morgan

Matching Saddle-case Caddis

Only standard fly patterns are shown. Click here for all matching flies in the database.

STAGE

PATTERN

SIZE/ COLOR

PRESENTATION

WHERE

Larva		Hares Ear		14-18/Cream or pinkish		Indicator, Tight line		Riffles, fast runs; just below these
Pupa		Soft Hackle, Z Wing Caddis		14-18/Body: tan, green		Surface swing, Shallow nymph		Riffles, fast runs; just below these
		Deep Sparkle Pupa		14-18/Body: tan, green Shroud: tan, light green		Indicator, Tight line		Riffles, fast runs; just below these
		Sparkle Pupa		14-18/Body: tan, green Shroud: tan, light green		Indicator, Tight line, Shallow nymph		Riffles, fast runs; just below these
Adult		Elk Hair Caddis, X Caddis		14-18/Body: tan, olive-brown; Wing: tan, brown, gray		Standard dry fly		Bankwater near foilage
		Goddard Caddis		14-18/natural		Standard dry fly		Moderate to fast runs, riffles
Egg-layer		Soft Hackle, Diving Caddis		14-18/Body: tan, olive-brown; Wing: dark brown, black		Surface swing, Shallow nymph, Rising nymph		Riffles, seams, backeddies below riffles