Size 16 Elk Hair Caddis ???

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?

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

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.

"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.

Hooked wrote:

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?

On a 16 you should be able to use 6/0.



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


I grab the hair by the tips and stroke out the underfur using my fingers.



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.

I dont really think this matters a whole lot (if at all). When I fish these I
usually skate the fly across
the water. The fish slams it so hard and fast that I dont think they even look
at color in the first
place.

GSP

Lou T

On Fri, 28 May 2004 16:42:53 -0500, "Hooked" wrote:

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?

6/0 uni

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

If you don't have a good mustache comb, strip the underfur off the bunch with
your fingers.

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.

I like natural hares mask blended with lightish olive dubbing. Nice and buggy,
and olive is just one of those near universal colors...

/daytripper

Wow--you guys use big thread. I use either 8/0 Uni or 10/0 Gudebrod to tie
size 16 on down EHC's. One trick (if you're not doing it already) for
locking in the hair is to *not* just tie on the thread together in one
area--but run the thread through the butts of the hair six or 8 times. It
locks in the hair without putting undue pressure (so you break the thread)
on the wraps.

As to colors of bodies--I go with black; Olive; tannish/ginger; and hares
ear for my EHC's. Unless you have a need to skate them; just omit the hackle
alltogether and tie X-Caddis' or No-Hackle Caddis. They work just as
well--or better--than EHC's.

Dave M
"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?

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

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.

"Hooked" wrote...
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?

Just to be contrary, I use 8/0 Uni-Thread. No one ever told me I'd have a
problem with it, so I haven't (up till now.)

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

I use my fingertips.

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.

I normally tie and carry some tan (dubbed with synthetic or rabbit and palmered
brown or furnace) and some dark bodies (usually made with peacock herl and
palmered grizzly.) I've also taken to tying a few of each with rubber legs,
Madame X style.
--
TL,
Tim
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Dave Martel" wrote...
Wow--you guys use big thread. I use either 8/0 Uni or 10/0 Gudebrod to tie
size 16 on down EHC's. One trick (if you're not doing it already) for
locking in the hair is to *not* just tie on the thread together in one
area--but run the thread through the butts of the hair six or 8 times. It
locks in the hair without putting undue pressure (so you break the thread)
on the wraps.

Yup, that's the way I learned, from Dave Hughes "Trout Flies", I think. Nice
little book; I refer to it often.
--
TL,
Tim
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Hooked wrote:

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?

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

You got some good advice from other posters. One thing no one brought up
is that all Elk hair is not created equal! Where the fur was taken from
the animal, the time of year the Elk was killed, and how it was cared
for all
contribute to the condition and type of hair. Texture, length, quality
color etc. are going to differ. Sometimes patches have alot of underfur
and I've gotten some that were sticky. This makes it hard to remove the
guard hairs. Washing will get rid of the stickiness. Usually I just use
my fingers to pull out the underfur, but on the tougher ones I use a dog
flea comb. It has very fine rounded teeth that work very well.

I've given up on ordering Elk hair unseen. I never end up getting what I
want. The texture or color is often wrong and I often get pieces with
lots of broken off tips. I'm sure the fish don't mind but I don't like
the way they look.

Willi

I use 8/0 uni thread for the elk hair caddis in sizes 14s and 16s. For 12s,
I may jump up to 6/0 uni. Your difficulties may stem from your choice of
hair. The hair should be hollow and not coarse like a porcupine. I usually
find myself taking 6 to 8 wraps to secure a wing on a size 16 or 14 and 9 to
12 wraps on a size 12. Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone has some of
the best hair I have seen. Your problem could also be the result of using
too much hair. The more overdressed the pattern, the more wraps required to
mount the wing.

Hope this helps,
Dan Daufel


"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?

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

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.