March is possibly my favorite month to pursue steel before they start to hit the gravel. The first couple weeks can be prime time for steelhead. As the hens start to dig their beds in shallow gravel areas, they inadvertently dislodge all sorts of aquatic insects. This is where we capitalize. Stoneflies, caddis, salmon fry, etc… are all now drifting helplessly through the water, to be picked off by steelhead attempting to boost their metabolism for the rigors of spawning. Try to avoid fishing to actively spawning steelhead, as they are literally trying to create future steelhead.
This fly mimics caddis larvae. Don’t let the woven body scare you; there are lots of helpful videos on YouTube. These woven bodies give the fly a realistic top and bottom contrast, much like the majority of natural insects in the river. Change size and color to match conditions.