Flies, Tackle, & Clothing for the Caddis Hatch
9' 4X leaders are perfect. As guides who spend more than just a few days trout fishing the Deschutes each season, it is important to start of each spring and summer fishing the heaviest tippets we can get away with. As the trout become more spooky, we scale down our tippets accordingly. Using light tippets too soon will result in trout that are prematurely educated, and trout fishing becomes difficult by August.
A variety of patterns will work well during the caddis hatch. Top producing patterns on the Deschutes include the EC-caddis, x-caddis, and the classic elk hair caddis in olive, brown, tan, or grey in sizes 14 - 16. Black is a great color for fishing during last light.
It is essential to wear natural colored clothing when hunting trout in slack or soft water, as the trout are very spooky. Avoid bright colors, including white. They can see every move you make, and can face in any direction. Moving very slowly is key. I like to speak in a soft voice when stalking trout on the Deschutes, not because they can hear us, but because it is a constant reminder to move slowly.