Caddis Hatches of september | Little black saddle-case caddis
The black caddis hatches of September are upon us, and this year of 2025, they are prolific on my home river, the Mad River. I live just down a small gravel road outside of Urbana from the Mad, so for the last 22 or so years, I have constantly had my finger on the pulse of the hatches, and this year in particular, they are coming off thick. The technical name for these tiny types of caddis is “Little saddle-case caddis” or Glossosomatidae. They surface in May and disappear till a September emergence, and last typically til the end of October. Below is a specimen I collected last week on the Mad River. The following micro pattern is one that I have used for the previous 22 years and has served me well!
Above photo: These tiny caddis are prolific this year on the Mad River. My home is only a half mile from the river, and I see them coming off the water at around 10am till the winds start to blow at around 11am, so the window is a bit truncated in the last few weeks. The following photos show my own pattern of the Little Saddle-Case Caddis, featuring biot wings, kapok underbody, SLF Spikey Squirrel, gold rib wire, a simple hackle collar with SLF spun into the hackle, and teal antennae. This is tied on a #20 TMC 531, and it makes for a deadly adult fly during the hatch. I have also fished this in the early hours before the hatch with great success this year. I do not leave home without a few of these in my box.
~CB's Little Saddle-Case Caddis~
Hook: TMC 531 #20Thread: UTC Ultra 70 Black
Body: Kapok underbody topped with SLF Spikey Squirrel
Rib: XS gold wire UTC
Underwing: Tiemco Aero Wing Dry Fly dark dun
Wings: Dark charcoal dyed biots
Hackle: Black
Antennae: Charcoal teal
A simple micropattern for some technical waters during September and October.
Thanks for letting me share~ Clint Bova
