Picket Pin

[Flyphsh]

Try them up in Erie on the steelhead streams once the little black stones start emerging ("snow bank nymph" I think they are called in some areas) in 16 and/or 18 if you can stand to go that small in tying them (squirrel tail very slippery on small sizes so you may want to substitute). Actually have worked well for me anywhere little black stones are found.

 

[Chooch]

As another said, deadly where isonychias are active. Try substituting something with movement for the squirrel tail like a dark dun CDC oiler puff, marabou or rhea feathers. Fish upstream on a dead drift and then swing it at the end of your drift. If thy iso's are active you will catch fish, it is a can't miss.

 

[gramps1947]

I don't know how the Picket Pin works in a caddis hatch but the soft hackle version I use is very effective. I tie it with a peacock herl body and head, an underwing of cdc and an over wing of wood duck flank. I also put either a green or red tag on the fly. You can also tie it with a tail of wood duck flank. I believe the effectiveness of this fly is peacock herl.