"Hooked" wrote in message
...
Last night I tried tying up some size 16 EHC's. Being that I was using a
size 16 hook, I opted for 8/0 Uni-Thread. I couldn't put a whole lot of
pressure on the thread to secure the elk hair without breaking the thread.
What size thread would be recommended to tie these?

Bigger than 8/0 for sure. I would normally use a Danville waxed 6/0 for elk
hair or deer hair on #16 and larger. Unless I was out of 6/0 and I would
then try to get by with 8/0. For #18 and smaller I will use 8/0 and go much
sparser on the hair anyways. I don't like Uni for deer or elk hair wings
but I can't really say why. I like Uni better for snowshoe hare foot wings.
(Man that sounds awkward!)

Trying to comb out the underfur from the elk hair was a pain in the
uknowhat. Any suggestions?

A very fine toothed mustache comb works for me. I have one with velcro on
the handle (useful for picking out guard hairs on nymphs and also for
keeping it stuck to my tying bench).

Also, what color bodies work best? I used a light olive and a coachman
brown
hackle. Would a tan body work better? If location is needed to determine
types of hatches, I'll be fishing in the upper mid-west.

Depends on where you are for sure. For hackle, I usually use grizzly or
grizzly dyed in light brown or dark olive. Body color isn't usually too
important (where I fish), just dark or light. If you want a good spread,
use cream, tan, olive and black. My favorite is bright orange. I tie those
by wrapping thin strips of orange flat foam.