Bamboo Switch Rods on the Salmon River, Idaho

I’ve been out on the Salmon River this week with my 10′  6″  5 wt hollow-built switch rod trying to entice some of the larger fish that might be lying to ambush a fly presented in ‘just-the-right-way’ to them.  I’ve been swinging weighted streamers on intermediate leaders through the deeper runs.  I’ve also been trying skating an assortment of large dry flies on the surface with furled switch rod leaders from Cutthroat Leaders through the calmer water.  Here are a couple  of the fish I was able to get to the bank for photos.

A nice Bull Trout that took a #6 Black Wooley Bugger with a weighted gold conehead.

A nice Bull Trout that took a #6 Black Wooley Bugger with a weighted gold conehead.

A beautiful native Cutthroat Trout that took a #12 foam bodied Black Caddis skated across the surface of a shallow run.

A beautiful native Cutthroat Trout that took a #12 foam bodied Black Caddis skated across the surface of a shallow run.

The Pumpkinator – An October Caddis Dry

We’ve started seeing a few October Caddis showing up here in Stanley and I wanted to come up with a new dry fly imitation that would float well and could be easily seen in fast water.  Here is what I came up with that a number of fish have been interested in….The Pumpkinator!

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The Pumpkinator

The Pumpkinator

The Pumpkinator

Hook:  #12 – 2X long

Thread:  Red

Body:  Orange Ice Dub

Rib:  Gold Tinsel

Overbody:  Orange Foam

Underwing:  Orange Crystal Flash

Overwing:  Light Tan Sparkle Yarn

Legs:  Orange and Black Rubber Legs

Hackle:  Brown