Fall Fly Fishing’s Top 5 Flies (in Maine). And A Fabulous Underground Contest

by Tom Chandler on September 24, 2007 · 66 comments

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.

octobercaddispattern
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:

The Singlebarbed Caddis

[tags]fly fishing, flies, maine, october caddis[/tags]

{ 66 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Brian Sims September 24, 2007 at 9:58 am

How about Orange Blossom Special  

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2 Steve September 24, 2007 at 10:04 am

Death on a Shingle  

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3 Steve September 24, 2007 at 10:07 am

PS I’m not paying shipping.  

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4 Steve September 24, 2007 at 10:09 am

Last Entry: The Dingle Berry

Still not paying shipping.

Sincerely,

Steve (The Literate Bastard)  

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5 Will September 24, 2007 at 10:09 am

The “First Freeze Flailer”  

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6 Tom Chandler September 24, 2007 at 10:37 am

Steve: No shipping, but there is the $17.95 handling fee…  

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7 Steve Altshuler September 24, 2007 at 10:50 am

Candy’s Caddis
or
Orangatan
or
Fall’s Maiden
or
Fall’s Maple Maiden

Regards from Albany,NY,
Steve Altshuler  

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8 Loon September 24, 2007 at 10:52 am

Firehaus Sexxx

October porn

Orange butt floss

ps: you site visits just went through the roof! ;-)  

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9 Ethan September 24, 2007 at 10:55 am

Attention Whore  

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10 MB September 24, 2007 at 10:58 am

Shasta Strumpet

or

Chandler’s Cinammon Tart  

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11 flytimes September 24, 2007 at 11:04 am

“Bill the Cat” or BTC for short.
Accthppt!
WT  

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12 flytimes September 24, 2007 at 11:06 am

“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?!  

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13 kbarton10 September 24, 2007 at 11:40 am

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…  

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14 Freedog96150 September 24, 2007 at 12:37 pm

Orange Tang  

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15 Smellslikefish September 24, 2007 at 1:06 pm

Spookaboo
Shasta Slattern
Burnt Umber Trollop – B.U.T.
Ochre Choker
So Many Fish So Little Time = SMFSLT = SmufSlut  

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16 Heddon 17 September 24, 2007 at 1:16 pm

Slaw Dog Special  

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17 ChrisW September 24, 2007 at 1:37 pm

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.  

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18 C3C Raine September 24, 2007 at 1:49 pm

wtf, you guys are some twisted-ass old men! In any case here’s my shot:

“Bug of Paradise”  

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19 BEAT LA! September 24, 2007 at 2:32 pm

How about Mr. Orange or Orange Crush.  

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20 clara chandler September 24, 2007 at 3:11 pm

Hi Kid, How about Hot Pepper Fly? Or do you live too far north to know about this? Mom  

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21 murdock September 24, 2007 at 3:58 pm

I thought you were taking the day off? How about Chandler’s Bunion Bug?

I have the book already though.

Lee  

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22 Dmotes September 24, 2007 at 3:58 pm

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  

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23 Dan September 24, 2007 at 4:49 pm

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.  

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24 Cameron D. September 24, 2007 at 5:47 pm

How about Chandler’s October Mothra?  

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25 j. Dub September 24, 2007 at 6:14 pm

Last Chance Caddis.  

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26 Dan September 24, 2007 at 6:59 pm

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.  

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27 Curly Friede September 24, 2007 at 10:39 pm

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.  

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28 Burglar Bill September 25, 2007 at 5:54 am

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  

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29 Burglar Bill September 25, 2007 at 6:07 am

Tom,
I almost forgot.

The Cointreau California

Can you hear the soundtrack?

Better,
Bill  

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30 Alex September 25, 2007 at 6:12 am

Candy Corn Caddis  

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31 flytimes September 25, 2007 at 6:40 am

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  

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32 Don September 25, 2007 at 7:02 am

Chandler’s Chimera…heck, slaw dog was already taken  

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33 David Roberts September 25, 2007 at 7:26 am

Cantera’s Tanker
(it kills fish all down river)
David  

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34 Arthur A Strauss September 25, 2007 at 8:00 am

How about “The Scarecrow”?  

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35 Steve September 25, 2007 at 8:22 am

Just so you can be proprietary:

Tom’s Dingle Berry

Steve  

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36 Paul Bruun September 25, 2007 at 8:40 am

Hey, Tom,
With apologies to Reggie,
how about
MISTAH OCTOBER  

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37 Scott September 25, 2007 at 11:17 am

Tangerine Dream Catcher (TDC)  

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38 Tom Chandler September 25, 2007 at 11:23 am

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…  

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39 truckeetom September 25, 2007 at 1:44 pm

pumpkin splash
flying gourd
the harvester
fall birdbug
Orange troutoverground  

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40 Roger W September 25, 2007 at 4:38 pm

Here’s the winner:

” Sloptober Caddis “  

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41 C3C Raine September 25, 2007 at 4:39 pm

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  

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42 samistopdog September 26, 2007 at 3:42 pm

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.  

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43 samistopdog September 26, 2007 at 3:48 pm

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?  

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44 Gerry September 27, 2007 at 4:48 pm

Caddis Cadaver
Or Chandler’s Caddis Cadaver
The Ailing Caddis (TAC)

Or invoking the Latin
Caddis terminatio
Caddis cadaverosus  

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45 Tom Chandler September 27, 2007 at 6:02 pm

Ohh, Latin. Nice touch.  

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46 Curly Friede September 27, 2007 at 9:17 pm

OK. Forgive me. Here it comes — Decumsmumus  

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47 Curly Friede September 27, 2007 at 9:27 pm

WHOOPS — spelled it wrong-ok-Decumscumus  

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48 Curly Friede September 28, 2007 at 1:30 am

Covering all the bases:
Egg Laying Decumscumus
or, the more discreet:
Adult Decumscumus  

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49 razmaspaz September 28, 2007 at 8:10 am

I’m stealing a bit from Heddon 17, but “Slaw Caddis” sounds good.  

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50 greg hall September 28, 2007 at 8:16 am

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.  

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