The Elk Hair Caddis is a versatile and effective Caddis pattern. Why do you find a Elk Hair Caddis in every starter fly box and why when doe’s every fly shop carry them in four to five colors? Because it has proven itself to be one of the most reliable dry flies ever created. The Elk Hair Caddis is a great fly for pocket water or fast moving water. The elk hair and hackle on the body make the Elk Hair Caddis a high floating and buoyant fly, which helps make it easy to see on the water. In turn you can spot the strikes or sips of the trout, thus not missing the takes like you might with some of the smaller flies.
The Elk Hair Caddis can be tied in a variety of sizes and colors. The size and color used really depends on the region you are fishing if you are fishing out west you can normally use a size 14-12. if your in the Midwest or East a size 16-20. But this can all change from river to river. The Elk hair Caddis comes in four basic colors tan, brown, cream and grey. But can be tied in just about any color you want such as olive, orange, blue and red.
Caddis look just like a small moth, and act like one too. Caddis like to flutte , skate and dapple the surface. This is why the Peacock Caddis has an Elk Hair wing. The Elk Hair gives the fly “implied movement” and gives the Caddis the appearance of fluttering it’s wings. One way you can fish the Elk Hair Caddis is to skate it across the surface of the water. This can give the fly the appearance of a dying moth and encourage a trout to strike.