Neither. Widow's Web.
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Neither. Widow's Web.
Deer hair is free
photo or video, Walter? I have wondered about that or Darlon.........Float as well?
Thanks
Have both but it's an 80/20 split as they seem to like the elk more.
I use mostly Bull Elk. The Cow Elk I have isn't very good, but it didn't come from Blue Ribbon.
My Clacka Caddis and BRF-style cripple patterns all use Widow's Web (which is basically the same stuff as Congo Hair or EP Fibers, I use whatever brand has the color I want). Pics on Parks' Fly Shop's site, vids on Youtube. I basically only use elk on CDC & Elks now, and that's only for the Firehole caddis. I'm even tying small Stimulator-types with this material now.
I tie the CDC and Elk with deer hair like Hans W. showed me at one of very early International Fly Tying Symposiums. When I started tying the pattern 20 or so years ago, I stopped by a now defunct local fly shop looking for patches of deer hair. The owner asked if I was planning on tying a lot of caddis. Told him yes. He suggested rather than buying a bunch of different deer hair pieces I should pick up a deer's mask since the hair colors on the mask would cover most caddis patterns. Cost me $12 and lasted several years. I'm still working off the last one I brought from English Angling Trappings. It cost me $15 and was twice the size of the original.
Off the subject, a little, but a true story. I once took a day long tying class from Jack Dennis. Dennis is known for tying deer hair patterns of all kinds. Anyway, he tied with a deer hide laid over his lap! He could pick any type deer hair he wanted.......
I actually use early season cow elk, bleached. It's because of the color and that it doesn't flare quite as much.