Snails are a food source for trout throughout the year. Having said that they are often overlooked by fly fishers. In colours imitating the naturals in the area to be fished they can be slowly twitched along the bottom or around the weed beds with great results. They are also a good ambush fly for trout foraging the margins. My standard choice of colours is a mottled brown and dark olive.
Most caddis grubs make a retreat of silk with sand or detritus matter stuck to the outside. Similar in form this fly represents a caddis grub that has been dislodged from it retreat. Colors include cream, lime, fawn, and light browns and olives through to dark browns and olives.
This fly hangs from the surface with the bend of the hook down much in the same way as the natural hangs just as it is breaking the water surface – anyway that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. In any case it is a suggestive fly that has taken many fish during evening midge hatches.
