When the wild roses begin to set pink blooms along the river road, grannom sedges appear, first a sprinkle, and then a storm.
I look forward to the arrival of grannoms. On my home water, it is the first widespread, reliable hatch of the year, serving to concentrate trout and really get them going. A happy circumstance. Also, because swinging a soft-hackle emerger is often the most effective way to present a grannom imitation, and I am someone who loves to swing flies, that makes me happy, too.
Meant to simulate an emerging sedge pupa, this simple soft-hackle pattern, tied in size 10 to 18, covers grannoms and spotted sedges, prolific on Western trout streams throughout the spring and summer, as well as a host of other caddis species encountered during the season. Pupas are a size larger than adults.
Hook: Standard size 12 wet fly
Thread: Camel UNI 8/0
Rib: Olive/pearl Mylar flash, one strand, doubled, twisted, and wound over the abdomen
Abdomen: Medium olive rabbit dubbing
Thorax: Brown hare’s mask
Hackle: Brown-phase partridge, ruffed grouse, or light Brahma hen, two turns
