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 Ultimate Finisher – J:son Caddis Pupa 5 Yellow (#20) The J:son Caddis Pupa 5 in Yellow is our smallest caddis pupa imitation, meticulously tied on a size #20 hook. This micro-pattern is designed for highly selective fish feeding on tiny caddis species or during mid-day periods when the water is clear and the fish are wary. The bright yellow coloration serves as a subtle but effective trigger, mimicking the pale, gas-filled bodies of micro-caddis as they struggle toward the surface.
Precision is key at this size. The fly features J:son’s signature anatomical segmentation and a lifelike, curved profile that perfectly replicates the natural insect. To help you stay efficient on the water, we have ensured the hook eye is easy to thread, even on this diminutive size #20. Whether you are fishing a technical spring creek or a glassy pool on a large river, this tiny yellow pupa is often the difference-maker when the hatch is small and the fish are at their most cautious.