Green Caddis

LARVA SIZE: 11-18 mm

LARVA COLOR: Usually green, but can run to tan

PUPA SIZE: 8-16 mm

PUPA COLOR: Green to brown body, tan to green shroud

ADULT SIZE: 8-16 mm

ADULT COLOR: Green to brown body, mottled brown to gray wing

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS: Caseless (free-living) as a larva. Case, body, wing, and shroud colors can vary, so it's always best to check a natural insect where you are fishing. Body and wing colors will darken when the insect is ready to lay eggs.

About Green Caddis

This is a free-living caddis (doesn't build a case). As you might expect from the name, larvae are green and worm-like.

They favor riffles, and they often drift in the current--and are often swallowed by trout. A larva pattern is effective when drifted through riffles near the bottom.

Adults hatch in the afternoon from late spring through August, and pupa patterns are effective during the hatch. For a couple of weeks after the hatch, adults often land on the water and are taken by trout. This provides excellent dry fly opportunities.

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 Green Caddis

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Caddis Larvae--Part II More killer larva patterns for caddis. by Jeff Morgan

STAGE

PATTERN

SIZE/
COLOR

PRESENTATION

WHERE

Larva

Zug Bug, Sparkle Larva

8-14/Green, browns

Indicator, Tight line

Riffles, just below riffles

Pupa

Z Wing Caddis

8-14/Body: green, brown

Indicator, Tight line, Shallow nymph

Riffles, just below riffles

Soft Hackle

8-14/Body: green, brown

Surface swing, Shallow nymph

Riffles, just below riffles

Deep Sparkle Pupa

8-14/Body: green, brown; Shroud: tan, green

Indicator, Tight line

Riffles, just below riffles

Sparkle Pupa

8-14/Body: green, brown; Shroud: tan, green

Indicator, Tight line, Shallow nymph

Riffles, just below riffles

Adult

Elk Hair Caddis, X Caddis

10-14/Body: green, olive, brown; Wing: brown, gray

Standard dry fly

Bankwater near foilage near riffles

Goddard Caddis

10-14/Natural gray

Standard dry fly, Skating

Riffles

Egg-layer

Soft Hackle, Diving Caddis

10-14/Body: green, olive, brown; Wing: dark brown, black

Surface swing, Shallow nymph, Rising nymph

Riffles, backeddies below riffles, current seams