One fly I’ve been tying up a pile of is caddis larva.  I’ve had good success with these patterns this winter, as mentioned here.  These insects are fairly common in most rivers and are an easy pattern to tie.  I like to tie mine with a #16 or #18 hook, and usually use them as my anchor fly with a trailing midge. My favorite two variations of this nymph are one with cdc, and one with soft hackle.   I find that both styles give the nymph a little extra movement.

Caddis nymph with Soft hackle

In other news, I went for a hike this weekend with my dog, Arlo, and walked along a local river’s edge. The ice is already starting to melt.  Here’s hoping for an early spring.