Description
When it’s time to get serious about catching trout and grayling, you need a fly that imitates the most important part of the caddis fly life cycle: the pupa. This stage is the final, crucial step before the caddis fly emerges as a winged adult, and it’s a phase that often drives fish into a feeding frenzy.
The caddis pupa imitation mimics the insect as it rises from the riverbed to the water's surface. It is an active, wriggling meal, and fish often key in on these helpless, buoyant insects while ignoring everything else.
The Dual-Fly Technique: Pupae rise through the entire water column before hatching. To maximize your chances, try the "Anchor fly" technique by using a heavier pupa or emerger to get your cast down to the right depth, followed by a lighter imitation. This versatile pattern can be fished as a dropper under a dry fly, dead-drifted with a strike indicator, or swung across the current to imitate the rising motion of the natural insect. It is a universal pattern that works in almost any river where caddis are present.
The Versatile Standard – The J:son Caddis Pupa 2 in Olive Brown is a fundamental pattern for any river angler, tied on a size #12 hook. This size and color combination is a "match-the-hatch" staple, perfectly mimicking a wide range of medium-sized caddis species found in various habitats. The olive-brown hue is particularly effective, offering a natural and organic look that fish trust instinctively in both clear and slightly tinted water.
Built with J:son’s advanced anatomical design, this pupa features a realistically curved and segmented body that mimics the insect's frantic struggle as it swims toward the surface. Its semi-translucent material captures and refracts light to simulate the trapped air bubbles that characterize a rising pupa. Whether you use it as an "anchor fly" in a dual-rig or fish it solo during an evening hatch, the size #12 Olive Brown Pupa provides the exact visual triggers needed to entice consistent strikes from selective trout and grayling.