My first elk hair caddis

[john1962 0]

#12 hook

140 danier tan thread

Natural rabbit dubbing

7 wraps dry fly hackle

elk hair ( did not cooperate ) 

Half hitched every step, and whip finished completed fly.

Criticism welcome

[flytire 0]

do not cut the natural tapered tips of the elk hair and point them toward the hook bend

[SilverCreek 0]

Did you use a hair stacker?

If not, get a hair stacker to line up the ends of the elk hair and then measure the lined up hair against the fly and tie it in so it needs no trimming.

Hair stackers come in various sizes so buy 3 sizes of them to cover tiny flies, medium sized flies and large flies.

I wrote about tying elk hair caddis adn buying the correct hair for the fly on this post on another site. Copy and paste into your browser and go down to my post.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/tips-for-tying-the-elk-hair-caddis.906270/#post-1578963

[john1962 0]

1 hour ago, flytire said:

do not cut the natural tapered tips of the elk hair and point them toward the hook bend

The elk hair I was using was @2inches long and I just couldn't get the natural tips to look even a tiny bit even. I feel I waste so much material. But I understand what you mean. The stacker I used is a large I guess.

 

Edited March 26 by john1962
Fat fingers

[john1962 0]

1 hour ago, SilverCreek said:

Did you use a hair stacker?

If not, get a hair stacker to line up the ends of the elk hair and then measure the lined up hair against the fly and tie it in so it needs no trimming.

Hair stackers come in various sizes so buy 3 sizes of them to cover tiny flies, medium sized flies and large flies.

I wrote about tying elk hair caddis adn buying the correct hair for the fly on this post on another site. Copy and paste into your browser and go down to my post.

https://www.theflyfishingforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/tips-for-tying-the-elk-hair-caddis.906270/#post-1578963

Working with hair is another thing I need to practice on. The stacker I used I a large I believe. 

 

[Jaydub 0]

Be sure to clean out all of the fuzz from the hair before attempting to stack it. The large stacker can be used for smaller flies. Hold it at an angle so that the hair stays on one side of the stacker and tap on the edge of the table.

[john1962 0]

On 3/25/2024 at 6:45 PM, Jaydub said:

Be sure to clean out all of the fuzz from the hair before attempting to stack it. The large stacker can be used for smaller flies. Hold it at an angle so that the hair stays on one side of the stacker and tap on the edge of the 

 

Ok guys here we go again.

What you all think.

#12 hook

140 danier tan thread

Small silver wire

Green fine dubbing

Dry hackle brown

Elk hair

[flyflinger 0]

With respect for your efforts, something is still not right with the elk hair.  Look at the flytire photo (it is a beautiful example) - the tips should be sharp and aligned, pointing toward the back of the fly.  Perhaps your patch of elk hair is damaged? - maybe post a photo of that.  And the tips need to be aligned in a stacker of some kind - most any tube with a flat bottom will do.  It also might help if you reduce thread size to 70 denier or 6/0.  

Hang in there - you'll sort it out . . . and fyi, that fly will catch fish!    

Regards, 

   

[john1962 0]

32 minutes ago, flyflinger said:

With respect for your efforts, something is still not right with the elk hair.  Look at the John1962 photo (it is a beautiful example) - the tips should be sharp and aligned, pointing toward the back of the fly.  Perhaps your patch of elk hair is damaged? - maybe post a photo of that.  And the tips need to be aligned in a stacker of some kind - most any tube with a flat bottom will do.  It also might help if you reduce thread size to 70 denier or 6/0.  

Hang in there - you'll sort it out . . . and fyi, that fly will catch fish!    

Regards, 

   

I will keep at it, the patch of elk hair I have looks like the elk hair in the photo. I will post a picture tomorrow, I pull all the fuzz out using a tooth brush then load the elk hair in a stacker tips down then tap on my hand, wife already said (don't even think about using the table). 😆 thank you for your tips and insights.

Tightlines

 

[john1962 0]

54 minutes ago, flyflinger said:

With respect for your efforts, something is still not right with the elk hair.  Look at the John1962 photo (it is a beautiful example) - the tips should be sharp and aligned, pointing toward the back of the fly.  Perhaps your patch of elk hair is damaged? - maybe post a photo of that.  And the tips need to be aligned in a stacker of some kind - most any tube with a flat bottom will do.  It also might help if you reduce thread size to 70 denier or 6/0.  

Hang in there - you'll sort it out . . . and fyi, that fly will catch fish!    

Regards, 

   

Her is the elk hair patch I have.

[FIN-ITE 34 0]

Looks like a bad piece. A lot of broken and damaged tips and it appears to be dry and brittle. Probably damaged when it was bleached.  This is how it should look.

[flytire 0]

if you have deer hair try that

fish dont know the difference between elk or deer

[john1962 0]

Silvercreek thank you so much for taken the time out of your busy day to post everything I've done wrong, but not 1 word on maybe just maybe the hair I used from the kit I bought was bad. I fished for many years bought flys and fished them till they fell apart and I still caught fish. I have been tying flys for about maybe 3 weeks. As a hobby, not a business, and as I need them.

This hobby is not black and white but there is alot of grey area between the lines.

Maybe this forum would benefit more if people like yourself would give more of a positive constructive criticism. Because from where I'm sitting there ain't many new comers posting anything they have tied.

I wonder why??

You have a blessed day now mr. Silvercreek ya hear.

[SilverCreek 0]

Did you not write in your OP:

"Criticism welcome"

I did post how to purchase good deer and elk hair; but I deleted it since you are apparently not interested, and I seem to have wasted my time.

 

 

[CDewberry 0]

37 minutes ago, SilverCreek said:

Did you not write in your OP:

"Criticism welcome"

I did post how to purchase good deer and elk hair; but I deleted it since you are apparently not interested, and I seem to have wasted my time.

 

 

now, why did you do that?  one of us other newbs good have benefited from that knowledge. thin skinned or otherwise...