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Elk Hair Caddis
Originator: Al Troth (1957)
Tied by Bill James
  • Wing: Deer hair
  • Rib: Fine gold wire
  • Head: Flared deer hair
  • Hackle: Medium to dark brown, palmered
  • Hook: Mustad 9671 #16
  • Abdomen: Pale yellow dubbing
  • Underbody: Thread
  • Thread: Uni-thread 8/0
  • Tying Instructions
    Cover the body of the hook with thread and tie in the gold wire at the rear of the hook. Apply dubbing material to the thread and dub the body with a slight taper from front to back. Tie in the hackle at the front end of the hook (about 1/8 inch from the eye). Wrap the hackle to the rear of the hook, 4 or 5 turns is sufficient. Wrap the gold wire over and through the hackle and tie off at the front of the hook. Break off the wire, this forms a small curl that secures the wire. Select and stack a small clump of fine hollow deer hair.(20-30 hairs. pull out the short hairs and fluff, working the clump gently with your fingers. When the tips are neatly stacked and even, tie in the clump on the top of the hook. The tips should be even with the rear of the hook. Flair the hair, wrap about 6 turns tightly to secure the hair on top of the body. Make a few turns in front of the head and whip finish the head. Trim the butt ends forming a head. Head cement over the thread securing the clump will make this a more durable fly.

    As with any fly, do not crowd the head. Using 2x long hooks gives me more room to form a nice body area. Variations would be to tie this fly with olive, green, peacock herl, or hare's ear. Use different color of hairs to match the hatch. Sometimes light elk is the best, at times dark elk works better. Ginger hackle is a good choice instead of brown.
    Fishing Tips
    One of my favorites! This is a great attractor or hatch matcher. Some fish may even think it is grasshopper. Size 12 and 14 are really good for fast or white water areas. 14 & 16 are great for the tails of the pools and to bounce off the banks. Concentrate on presenting this fly under or near willows and the deep pools formed by bends in the creek or river. A smaller version, 94840 size 16 or 18 is especially good in lakes or beaver dams.
    Bill James
    Tooele, UT United States

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