Elk Hair Caddis Tied by Norm Cribbin Materials Hook: Kamasan B170 #16 Thread: Olive 10/0 Unbreakable Thread Ribbing: Copper Wire (Fine) Body: Arctic Fox Dubbing White Hackle: Hoffman Dry Fly Hackle Light Ginger Method Step 1 – Starting at the eye form a bed of tying thread. Stop the thread when it is just past the barb position. Step 2 ‐ Take a length of fine copper wire and catch it in at the bend of the hook. Secure the wire by winding the thread to the eye and back to the bend. Step 3 – Apply dubbing wax to thread. Dub the waxed thread sparsely with Arctic Fox and twist to form a fine dubbing rope. Elk Hair Caddis
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Completed Elk Hair Caddis.
July 2011
Step 4 ‐ Wind the dubbed thread forward to the post forming a slender tapered body. Stop the dubbed body one (1) eye length from the eye of the hook. Step 5 – Select a size #16 hackle from the neck cape and tie in at start of the dubbed body. Step 6 – Wind the hackle palmer style and secure at the bend with the ribbing wire.
Elk Hair Caddis
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July 2011
Step 7 – Wind ribbing through the palmered hackle and secure at the eye with several wraps of tying thread. Trim hackle tip. Step 8 – Select a small clump of Elk Hair and remove from the hide. Remove under fur from hair and even the tips by using a hair stacker. Offer the stacked hair up to the hook and secure with several turns of tying thread. At this point check that the Elk Hair wing is even on both sides of the hook. Secure tying thread by lifting the butt ends of the Elk Hair and forming a whip finish immediately behind the hook eye. Step 10 – Trim Elk Hair butts to form a small neat head. Apply head cement to the thread and whip finish. Groom completed fly and apply liquid floatant. Note: The cut of the head should be parallel to the hook eye angle.
Elk Hair Caddis
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Photos by Norm Cribbin.
July 2011