Light Cahill

The Light Cahill is probably one of the first dry flies new anglers hear about, and for good reason. Created more than 100 years ago, it’s caught fish around the globe and is a great imitation for PMDs. The white body, coupled with some orange hackle, is easy to see even in rough water. PMDs are fairly large as far as dry flies go, and they come in a variety of sizes to match specific hatches on your own local waterway. The larger versions are able to float high enough to drop a little nymph off the back, making it an underrated dry-dropper pattern for springtime days on a favorite trout stream!

When going to a new stream in May, one of the first flies to try is a Light Cahill. PMDs are widespread and trout know and feed on them steadily through the month. To make your rig even more effective, drop a small (size #18 or #20) midge or mayfly nymph off the back of this fly to create a perfect dry-dropper rig for small water. Fishing this type of setup in pocket water can produce incredible results. A little bead head caddis or micro mayfly are good bets for the nymph section of the rig.