Reverse Deer Hair Caddis

[FisherOfMen 0]

Hey guys, so with some help from a local guide I've finally started catching some trout. Anyway I've heard a little about tying caddis adults a certain way: Tie it like an Elk hair, only use deer hair and tie it reversed so the tips are tied in, not the base.

 

I only tied one, and the trout in these Adirondack rivers loved it! I think I might know why - When you pull the fly under at the end of a drift, it bobs right back up, possibly imitating a hatching bug surfacing. I caught two respectable browns (for me) with it, then lost it in a tree. I tied on a regular elk hair caddis, and fished it with no avail for fifteen minutes amidst plenty of rises.

 

I'm a newbie, so is there anything valid in my hypothesis that the trout like how the (nearly unsinkable) reverse deer hair floated back to the surface? In any case, the deer hair makes this one amazing fly. It is durable, floats like a cork, and is actually easier to tie. It's my new favorite dry!

[Piker20 0]

Sometimes with sedge (caddis) hatches I've found the fish won't take a floater but they are taking the hatching insect, or the swimming adult laying eggs. I tied some fat bodied nymphs that caught when I pulled them sharply to the surface and let them drop again. The same with dries that are bobbing under the surface. I think the fish hit them cause they better represent the hatching insect that they are fixed on. Other days you'll find the disturbance from the popping puts all the fish down. Thats the joy of fishing.

[flytire 0]

I think I might know why - When you pull the fly under at the end of a drift, it bobs right back up, possibly imitating a hatching bug surfacing.

 

 

i'll bet its the way you fished the fly, not necissarily the way you tied in the wing. if it works for you, keep doing it.

[utyer 0]

Caddis flies are quick to pop through the surface, and fly off. Many only are on the surface for an instant. The rising pupa is usually a very good option. The way you fly was floating to the surface after being submerged would imitate these rising pupae very well (at least in action.) I often pull my caddis patterns under, and let them dead drift just under the surface. I tie most of my caddis adults without hackle, and while they float, they are easy to pull under, and then they will slowly drift and rise back to the surface. Soft hackles are also a good imitation of the subsurface caddis pupa, they will work very well during caddis hatches. About the only floating caddis I use these days is the X Caddis, which is tied with a trailing shuck and imitates a crippled or emerging caddis.

[primitivepete 0]

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a go. they're often pretty picky about caddis dries out here.

[Andreas Lestander 0]

Could you possibly post a picture of it? Sounds interesting.

 

/Andreas

[perchjerker 0]

In keeping with utyer's comments, my "guide" taught me early one to let my floating elk hair wing dry caddis to drift to directly downstream and then start stripping it back. The stripping action forced the fly under; resulting in very strong 'takes'. This action/retrieve clearly imitates the emerging bug and is responsible for the trout's response.

[utyer 0]

Here is my "take" on a reverse tied caddis. Dubbed body with the wing tied in just behind the darker tips. I allowed the tips to flair up, and finished the head. Then I clipped the front similarly to the way you would clip a standard EHC. I just trimmed off the back at an angle and left it at that. The hollow ends of the hair should make the fly pretty buoyant, and the shape should help it dive.

 

I learned to sink my caddis adults by simply letting them hang below me as I would wade across the top of a riffle. I would get plenty of good takes as the fly just hung below me in the current. Now I do it on purpose.

[whatfly 0]

Well, of course you can use the EHC as a wet fly. I've even read the Brits troll with Stimulators. Just not as fun as fishing a dry fly, however...

[perchjerker 0]

Yeah, catching them on the surface is fun; but, why waste a good drift that was refused?

[planettrout 0]

Kelly Galloup designed his Butch Caddis to pop up in heavy water...it utilizes the same design with the hair wing overlapping it's self...I tie them as egg layers..

 

 

 

HOOK: TMC 900 BL, #14-#18, TMC 101 #16-#18, TMC 100 SPBL. #14-#18

 

THREAD: Uni., 8/0, 6/0 or GSP 100 or 200, Olive

 

EGG SAC: Zelon, Green

 

BODY: Stalcups Micro Fine Dry Fly Dub. BWO Olive

 

UNDER WING: Zelon, Kinky Light Dun

 

WING: White Tail Deer Hair

 

LEGS: Speckled Centipede Legs, Mini-Olive, Montana Fly CO

 

Tying vid. :

 

http://flytyer.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/butch-caddis-kelly-galloup/

 

 

PT/TB