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fshng84

Quick Tie - Elk hair Caddis

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Rainy days are great for fly tying; here is a quick tie of an Elk hair Caddis using material on hand!


Size 14 or 16 Dry Fly Hook

7/0 Dacron Tying Thread (Olive because it was handy)

Grizzly Hackle

Hares Ear Dubbing

Copper Wire Ribbing (Gold as well as tinsel works, too)

Elk Hair





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thats exactly what i was thinking. wire reinforces hackle

 

hair should be cleaned of underfur and hair tips toward the bend

 

DSC05161.JPG

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I followed the steps that Tightline showed... only difference, is I went with material I had on hand and used 5second UV Glue.

 

 

 

 

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Looks like he also did the steps out of order

 

This is the method I prefer to use, tying in the hackles at the front then using the wire to secure it.

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/print.cfm?parentID=44

Cool... looks like the fish don't care but tying over the hackles does make for longer lasting flies.

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Thanks flytire for the examples... I looked at those videos, too; still like Tightlines, mainly because I can tie it fast. But, always game to try other patterns.

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For all these sort of patterns I tie the hackle in at the rear and wind to the head, I just don't trust the wire to keep the end secure, one of the first instances of the wire held hackle flies that I ever saw was one I bought and it came unwound. (happened twice before I figured it out, both flies from same store)

But winding the wire in the opposite direction still puts it over the stem and may give it some durability.

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That's a valid point. I've never had the issue but I can see it happening.

 

As far as doing the rib first then wrapping the hackle, it doesn't make sense at all and would take no extra time to swap the steps.

 

Even if it does add time, which it won't, I would much rather have a more durable fly that takes an extra minute to tie.

 

That's my $0.02, which ain't worth much

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That's a valid point. I've never had the issue but I can see it happening.

 

As far as doing the rib first then wrapping the hackle, it doesn't make sense at all and would take no extra time to swap the steps.

 

Even if it does add time, which it won't, I would much rather have a more durable fly that takes an extra minute to tie.

 

That's my $0.02, which ain't worth much

All good points! Will tie a both ways and see if it makes a difference to the fish. :-)

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Another variant of the Elk Hair Caddis we tied the other day in a Quick Tie demo. This demo uses the same pattern and material that was already on hand. No need to run to the store to buy material. The one difference is this pattern wraps the wire rib over the dubbing body and the palmer wrapped hackle. In the other demo, we tied the wire rib after the dubbing body but before the hackle.


We anticipate this pattern will be more durable than the previous one, but not certain if the fish will prefer one over the other. So, in a "Field Test" (excuse to go fishing more), we plan to fish both patterns, and describe what we observe.... do stay tuned!


PS: The other pattern has caught 20+ Sunfish and Bluegill and is still going strong! Also, do stay tuned or the follow-up video on the Bubble Fly Rig. We hope to answer our Reader's question and maybe convince others who want to fish with fishing flies but do not have a fly rod or are still learning how to fly fish! Another variant of the Elk Hair Caddis.



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