Elk Hair Caddis

Elk Hair Caddis

Another one of the most popular dry flies for trout is Al Troth’s Elk Hair Caddis. It has all the elements you would want from a fly when a high floating Caddis pattern is needed. The light wing gives the fly good visibility in the water and the palmered hackle make it float high. And even if it sinks a bit the wing will keep it floating for quite a long time.

It’s a simple tie but here’s few things that will help you get it right. Wind the hackle from front to back and secure it with a counter-rib of very thin wire. I used a bit thicker wire on this to show the rib better but you will want the smallest wire you can get so it doesn’t add weight to your fly. Attach the wing straight on top of the hook and secure it with few tight wraps. After the wing is secured trim the butt ends to the correct length and take your tying thread through them at a 45 degree angle. Lift the butt ends and finish the fly behind the eye of the hook. This will make a more durable wing for the fly.

You can use all sorts of variations from this fly but here’s the pattern as in the photo above.

Hook: TMC 100 #12
Rib: UTC ultra wire #XS
Body: Super Fine dry fly dubbing
Hackle: Brown
Wing: Elk hair