Elk Hair Caddis

[Loren]

This pattern is recommended by many on this board for the mountain streams. I'm heading up there next week and want to tye some. Sounded simple untill I visited my local fly shop and saw several colors in this pattern (brown, dun, light, dark, "red and yellow, black and white...."). So, what colors would work best?

Loren

[Hound]

Loren,

I tie most of my EHC's with Antron. It's flashy and dries faster than natural hair bodies. I have an assortment box so I have a good variety to choose from. I tend to stick to a ginger hackle, despite the body color. I have also had success with a pea*****herl body and ginger hackle. Some places call it a pea*****EHC. Do a little expiramenting and see what you come up with.

Hound
P.S. Looks like it will be me you and KB thursday. I'll get in touch when I get back in town.

[NetBoy]

Also try CDC feathers for a body and legs. The Virtual Flyshop has a CDC and Elk pattern that I've had luck with. Simple to tie. The hard part in this pattern is finding the right CDC feathers.

NetBoy

[John Pool]

At this time of year, I'd have a few dirty-orange-bodied elk hair caddis in my flybox. I'm sure there are recipes for "October Caddis" somewhere on the board. They live up to their name -- you'll see some of these in the mountain streams now. They're pretty good size caddis (#12 or #14) and at times there can be enough of them to get the fish interested.