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> > Great Autumn Brown Sedges on Potomac River



This topic is about the Caddisfly Genus Pycnopsyche

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BrettBOctober 2nd, 2008, 11:16 am
Martinsburg, West Virginia

Posts: 8		Came in to work today and noted several large Autumn sedges on doors facing river(18mm wing-to-head and 34mm total w/ antennae). Though more brownish-rusty than I remember them being, I'm relatively certain it is a Pycnopsyche due to the size, timing and dark markings near the rear mid-wing (sort of looks like a yin-yang symbol). Does anyone know of a good emerger fly for this hatch? I'm assuming it emerges in the evening through early morning. I may tie up some size 8 rusty elk hair caddis for adult imitations. Big bugs!
Brett Billings
long-time tyer and amateur entomologist
GONZOOctober 2nd, 2008, 11:54 am
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681		Brett,

Although some might emerge on the surface, most Pycnopsyche crawl out to emerge. A surface emerger is usually not of much value. A large fur-bodied soft hackle crawled along the bottom toward shore can be effective for imitating the pupae. In addition to the dry adult pattern, a big rusty wet could also be useful when the adults are laying eggs.
BrettBOctober 3rd, 2008, 1:35 pm
Martinsburg, West Virginia

Posts: 8		Gonzo,

Thanks for the ideas. I like the idea of a big, fat wet fly on the bottom late in the afternoon as nymphs start to drift. A big wet fly in size 10 or 12? Perhaps some grey-brown muskrat fur with partridge hackle? Sounds like a very promising technique. The rusty wet fly also sounds good.
Brett Billings
long-time tyer and amateur entomologist
GONZOOctober 3rd, 2008, 1:49 pm
Site Editor
"Bear Swamp," PA

Posts: 1681		I'd go lighter with the body color on the pupa, Brett. The belly is usually a pale creamy color with a ginger tint and the back is a darker ginger-brown. A loose mix of those colors will suffice for a general suggestion. You might want to dub a band of blackish brown just behind the soft-hackle collar to suggest the dark wingpads. A #10-12 (2X) should be about right.

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