Elk Hair Trimmings...

can you do anything with them?

I was tying some EHC's for the first time today and seeing all the left overs from the trimmings of the elk hair wing, I was wondering if anyone has figured out a good use for this left over material.

The best thing I have found to do with it is throw it away LOL. Not worth the time to try and save it. And there is no way to keep it in line and usable. Sorry Ron

Terry,

Have seen both deer and elk trimmings cut up and loop dubbed with some fur or synthetic dubbing to make very effective and buggy looking thoraxes (& sometimes entire bodies) on caddis, nymph, scud & czech nymphs patterns.

Thanks! I was thinking about dubbing but wasn't sure if it would work.

Build a sparse dubbing loop of the cut offs and use it in place of spun hair for a 'goddard style' caddis. It can be packed tightly onto the hook and trimmed to shape.

For realy coarse materials, like elk hair, it helps to use some dubbing wax. Rub 4" of thread with tacky dubbing wax. Then pinch the thread with hackle pliers and tie off back into the body, forming a 4" loop, with wax on one strandof the loop.

Separate the loop with your fingers and place a small clump of between the strands. Tease the hairs fibers out to an even thin layer the full length of the waxed thread. Try for most of the fibers to be perpendiclular to the thread.

Sparse works best, the strand will get more dense when spun.

With the hairs trapped in the thread loop, give the hackle pliers a good spin. Twist the strand tightly and the hairs will spin into a loose chenille rope.

Wrap the rope tightly around the fly to form a bushy hair body. Pack the body tightly every few wraps by pushing the wraps with a thunb and finger nail.

Tie off the dubbing rope, leaving room for a hackle collar and head.

Brush the body heavily with an old tooth brush to fluff up the fibers. Trim to a tent wing shape with a sharp scissors.