Fly fishing in Maine is pretty damned different from fly fishing here in the mountains of Northern California, but a “Top 5 Flies for Fall” article from Maine fascinates me anyway.
Sure, in this list from the Kennebec Journal, two of the top five flies are streamers (not very common out here, but maybe they should be). Still it’s fun reading. My favorite of the five flies? The Montreal Whore:
MONTREAL WHORE: Like the Wood Special, this is another bright attractor streamer fly that garners plenty of attention for its, um, color…. Holt continues and offers up the Montreal Whore. “When the local pastor comes in, he always asks for the Montreal ‘Concubine,’ ” Holt says, smiling. “But, like the name says, it’s flashy and full of action.
The Contest: Win Fabulous Prizes
My Top 5 Flies for Fall on the Upper Sacramento would be a less thrilling read: October Caddis dry and nymph, BWO parachute, BWO emerger, and… well, something else. Effective for sure, but they lack the ring of “Montreal Whore” or the “Peacock Bugmeister.”
That’s why I’ve decided to give the Dying October Caddis pattern I tie — the one I mentioned in a previous article (elk hair underbody) — a catchy, attention-grabbing name. That’s where you come in.
A survivor from last year. Elk underbody, hackle collar, splayed wing.
You come up with a catchy, can’t-be-forgotten name, place it in the comments section, and the winning writer (judged by the L&T Nancy and myself) receives my review copy of Mark D. Williams’ “So Many Fish, So Little Time” — a book whose writing I liked a lot, though I felt it tried to cover too much ground.
Win this Fabulous Prize.
I know exactly what you’re thinking: “Won’t I have to report a prize this valuable on my tax return?” Our answer? It’s not our problem (Expert Legal Opinion: it’s a long book, and should last through most of your prison sentence).
Contest rules? Immediate disqualification for Shasta Whore, or almost any variation thereof (this won’t stop a few of the regulars, but it had to be said).
Fire away, you literate bastards. See you at the judge’s table, Tom Chandler.
UPDATE: When I tie more of whatever this ends up being called, I’m using some of this stuff.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Singlebarbed tied a variant of the thing using his sparkly, Holloywood-style dubbing:
[tags]fly fishing, flies, maine, october caddis[/tags]
{ 66 comments… read them below or add one }
How about Orange Blossom Special
Quote
Death on a Shingle
Quote
PS I’m not paying shipping.
Quote
Last Entry: The Dingle Berry
Still not paying shipping.
Sincerely,
Steve (The Literate Bastard)
Quote
The “First Freeze Flailer”
Quote
Steve: No shipping, but there is the $17.95 handling fee…
Quote
Candy’s Caddis
or
Orangatan
or
Fall’s Maiden
or
Fall’s Maple Maiden
Regards from Albany,NY,
Steve Altshuler
Quote
Firehaus Sexxx
October porn
Orange butt floss
ps: you site visits just went through the roof! ;-)
Quote
Attention Whore
Quote
Shasta Strumpet
or
Chandler’s Cinammon Tart
Quote
“Bill the Cat” or BTC for short.
Accthppt!
WT
Quote
“Yeah man, the big orange caddis were out in force but if you didn’t have a #10 BTC you were out of the game.”
Huh?! Huhhhhh?!
Quote
After I get all of the head cement out of the eye, it does resemble a well lipped Marlboro..
I’m thinking active, so “Turgid Nicotino” or “Tawny Turdlet”..that beast is as aerodynamic as a cupcake on kite string…
Quote
Orange Tang
Quote
Spookaboo
Shasta Slattern
Burnt Umber Trollop – B.U.T.
Ochre Choker
So Many Fish So Little Time = SMFSLT = SmufSlut
Quote
Slaw Dog Special
Quote
Smacks of a Ratty Looking Bushy Bugger to me.
Chris
p.s. I already have the book, so you can have that one for free.
Quote
wtf, you guys are some twisted-ass old men! In any case here’s my shot:
“Bug of Paradise”
Quote
How about Mr. Orange or Orange Crush.
Quote
Hi Kid, How about Hot Pepper Fly? Or do you live too far north to know about this? Mom
Quote
I thought you were taking the day off? How about Chandler’s Bunion Bug?
I have the book already though.
Lee
Quote
I’ve just read the list, and mine’s a loser, and also probably going to get me in trouble with somebody, but I feel like I’m among friends:
Readhead Stepchild
Dave
Quote
Well, after two trips to the ER this weekend this resembles what shot out of the end of my third member finally after three agonizing pain filled days. So in honor of that, how about the GKS? That stands for the golden kidney stone.
Quote
How about Chandler’s October Mothra?
Quote
Last Chance Caddis.
Quote
Your problem is you dont do enough steelhead fishing. With the Trinity, Klamath, and rogue close by you have no excuse. Steelhead flies names ROCK.
Quote
Hard to get around the succinct:October Caddis. Or, keeping with current trends: Tom’s October Caddis. I checked, and nobody,s patented the name yet. So: Patent the obvious name – and if anybody else wants to name a fly for this insect: they have to pay you, or resort to one of the more outlandish names.
Quote
OK Tom, here goes:
Chandler’s Orange Caddylicious
Marmalade Mountain Mama
Dunsmuir Delight
The Scarlett O’Hara Way Bug (SOW BUG)
and
Tom’s (or Tommy’s) Little Orange Tickler
Best,
Bill
Quote
Tom,
I almost forgot.
The Cointreau California
Can you hear the soundtrack?
Better,
Bill
Quote
Candy Corn Caddis
Quote
Now I’m starting to think that “Bill the Cat” has been taken. If there isn’t already a fly called the BTC then its a good name for this fly. If there is then I’m just a hack.
WT
Quote
Chandler’s Chimera…heck, slaw dog was already taken
Quote
Cantera’s Tanker
(it kills fish all down river)
David
Quote
How about “The Scarecrow”?
Quote
Just so you can be proprietary:
Tom’s Dingle Berry
Steve
Quote
Hey, Tom,
With apologies to Reggie,
how about
MISTAH OCTOBER
Quote
Tangerine Dream Catcher (TDC)
Quote
Suddenly, I’m afraid of my own readership. Several of you are clearly cut out for serial killer-hood.
Still, you all may be crazy, but you’re the Underground’s crazies, which means you’re like family (only you don’t get to stay here when you visit).
I didn’t put a deadline on the contest, but I’ll probably pick a winner this weekend. Keep ‘em coming…
Quote
pumpkin splash
flying gourd
the harvester
fall birdbug
Orange troutoverground
Quote
Here’s the winner:
” Sloptober Caddis ”
Quote
I don’t know if I’m allowed to submit twice but I don’t care either:
The U.F.O. – Underground’s Flying Orange
Quote
Hold it, hold it …stop the press I got…damn thing kept up all night, ok I confess the jalapeno burger with extra habenaro chilies at 10:30 helped in the lack of sleep department…but blaming you is much cooler.
Quote
this damn computoer cuts me off just like my wife does.
How about “Chandler’s Chippy”.
He says it’s one of his favorites(favorite what) and he does spend a lot of time away from the house and desk where he is to be entertaining us.So it figures he’s Chipping on the side with something…where is that bottle of Patron?
Quote
Caddis Cadaver
Or Chandler’s Caddis Cadaver
The Ailing Caddis (TAC)
Or invoking the Latin
Caddis terminatio
Caddis cadaverosus
Quote
Ohh, Latin. Nice touch.
Quote
OK. Forgive me. Here it comes — Decumsmumus
Quote
WHOOPS — spelled it wrong-ok-Decumscumus
Quote
Covering all the bases:
Egg Laying Decumscumus
or, the more discreet:
Adult Decumscumus
Quote
I’m stealing a bit from Heddon 17, but “Slaw Caddis” sounds good.
Quote
Fat Albert
Upper Sac Pimp Daddy
Jeeze, You’d think a guy who just turned 61 could be more dignified. Maybe it’s all the road food I had on my last fishing trip.
Quote
First, I would like to thank the Academy for selecting me, as winner of this prestigious Name a Fly award. Next I would like to thank each of you who helped make it happen… Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you ….. (Music plays) Wait, what do you mean I lost? What do you mean you liked the faux(ny) latin names better?… I was robbed, I was robbed…. just because I wouldn’t pay shipping…
OH THE HUMANITY !!!
Steve
Quote
Since politics is on us for the next two years, and since you are so political fighting for conservation:
How about the “October Surprise”?
I know, not vulgar or catchy enough, but if you stare at it long enough . . . .
Shane
Quote
One las shot at da book. If nothing else the exercise will serve to connect me with the brain prose center, and propell me toward the more important writing waiting on my dark desk. Though I prefer the more discriptive Saxon names, looks like those are pretty well covered, except for just this one: Orange Caddiddle (the second half being Gaelic in origin). Other than that the only names that come to mind are latin. I’ll submit just three, all with the same Saxon first name so that they might be a little more earthy:
Drunken Discoursmocus
leading to -
Drunken Decumscumus
the end result -
Drunken Discustmocus
Quote
These are pretty lame but,
Chandlers Folly
No Chance Caddis
or
Fat CHance Caddis
What the hell, I’ll try anything caddis.
Quote
Chandler’s Caddis Candy
Quote
Adding to Harry’s entry
Last Chance Caddis
Quote
It looks like this is still open so here’s a few more.
Tom’s Big Fat Caddis (TBFC)
Tom’s October Fat Butt
Tom’s Rocktober Caddis (TRC)
Save the postage Tom, I’ll just drive up pick up the book. :>))
Quote
hackleberry caddis
Quote
ahem, I mean Tom’s “Old Timey” Hackleberry Caddis.
Quote
This still going? Jeez.
The Fluttering Cheeto.
Quote
How about:
Tom’s Special Hack-job (TuSH for short)
Quote
Still at it? Ran out of good names but figgered I might say that the fluttering hairwing version looks like its getting ready to fly away and these are strong flyers and trout know it and seldom attempt to eat them if they look too healthy. Hairwings take the odd fish if you insist on fishing dry, but if you hammer it out with a wetfly version you may see a better grade of fish. Try a clump wing of mottled turkey tail feather fibers; one turn of pheasant church window in front of the wing, then a turn of natural dark gray wool dubbing in front of the legs. Fish it dead-drift, wet. Individuals of these pupate and swim from the bottom as adults, so a Leisenring Lift at the end of the drift brings strikes. Good lookin hairwing though.
Quote
How about:
The Halloween Snot ball
or
Chandlers Belly button Lint ball?
Quote
So, how will this fly be known forever more?
Tom?
Quote
I just announced the winner in a new post. And it wasn’t me…
Quote
copper-robber
Quote