Yesterday I guided a couple of guys from the Portland area on the lower McKenzie River. The hatch was relatively sparse, but the big news is that the green caddis hatch is just getting started. Though the surface fishing was sporadic, over the course of the day we ran into some really nice fish.
I saw maybe a dozen naturals make their way to the surface, bounce around trying to dry their wings, and get gobbled by trout. The hatch hasn’t been out long enough for the fish to be really keyed into them, but as it progresses over the next couple of weeks, it will make for some very exciting fishing. This bug emerges actively and often out of heavy water. You will regularly see nice trout jump out of the water chasing these bugs as they emerge. This is my favorite hatch of the year and should linger throughout May.
The dry fly fishing during the green caddis hatch can be outstanding, but a variety of methods can be very effective. I fish emergers wet fly style, swung down and across the current, often with great results. I also fish a dry fly/ emerger combo, where the dry fly does double duty both as an imitation and a strike indicator. Two dry flies fished in tandem is also a great way to go.
Ethan Nickel Outfitters 
Just getting started with fly fishing so I’m trying to learn as much as possible. What type of emerger are you using, and how do you keep your dry fly floating? Seems like if you used too large of emerger it would pull the dry fly down…
A.J.,
The nymph in question is the posse bugger (#10), fished about 4 feet under a #8 buoyant dry fly. Swinging wet flies during this hatch can also be very effective. A green floss-bodied #10 partridge soft hackle works well.
Thanks for your interest, Ethan