Tying elk hair caddis
 

Hi guys, I was just wondering what you guys use to tie your smaller elk hair caddis size 16 and down I noticed that elk hair or at least the stuff I have each hair is too big when you get to the smaller hooks so I can’t use as much making it less buoyant, I’ve been using deer hair instead for the smaller ones and am just curious what you guys use. Thanks!

I almost never use Elk hair for the caddis, it’s tough to find good elk that will work. If you look at hair anything above where the tips start to darken it is not hollow so won't float. This area in Elk tends to be rather long and not suitable for small Elk hairs unless you can find yearling Elk.

I always use short fine deer hair. Commercially if you look for X caddis hair or Comparadon hair it works great. On a deer, the ideal stuff is from the center of the back from neck to rump or sometimes leg hair. I’ve also used polypropylene for the wings with good success. On really small sizes #18 to #20 I’ll often omit the hackle.

https://i.imgur.com/EzNpvZ7.png

Thanks a lot! That clears up everything haha I’ll keep using my deer hair I also leave out the hackle on the small sizes

Find someone who shoots elk.....

Grab from where it gets close to the arm pit like area.... you’ll know it when you see it

Small diameter fur strands... shorter hair... works good good

There’s like 3 or 4 areas I grab elk hair off an elk for stimmies and caddis n hoppers.

I will have to try with deer, I had the problem of mine sinking.
Great tip, thanks!

I always use mule deer.
Thanks for the location suggestion Lornce

I get this question.
Adult elk or deer hair simply sucks for small caddis flies.


Baby flies, use baby hair.

I found a coyote killed fawn deer. Only a couple leg bones and half the hide...

Oh my! :)
That half hide has produced hundreds of the best size 16 and smaller caddis flies.

Dump the Elk Hair and use Macrame yarn.
Lasts and lasts and floats.

Don

Great tip, works well, thanks Don.

I strip elk hide from nose to eyes, these are very fine hair, not hollow, good for size 12-18 caddis.

Never tried macrame yarn, sounds very promising.

X2 On the macrame. Can be hard to find..It really floats very well