Jus a quick question - I didn’t have any grizzly hackle for #14 -16 size caddis , I have tied 2
With ostrich herl; elk hair caddis , can this be done ? Has anyone ever done it ?
Yes I used color to match - any help? Suggestions? It’s for the lower arkansas( near pueblo) thanks in advance
I’m thinking you tied the body with ostrich to get a fuzzy effect? If so, I’d think it would work - Craig Mathew’s X and X2 Caddis and Hans’ CDC & Elk are tied with ungulate wings but no hackle. May be a bit of a low floater and the ostrich certainly won’t help it’s buoyancy, but just tie up a bunch and swap out when they get water logged, or let them sink and swing.
Regards,
Scott
I am jus using it as a sub for the grizzly hackle - not dubbing
Foam,
You really need the hackle to assist in floating. The ostrich might work as a dubbing, but the fly needs some other material for floatation. The X-Caddis mentioned is a low floating fly which uses the swept back deer hair as the floating mechanism.
Gotcha. I tied some Pheasant Tails using ostrich as hackle
definitely not much of a floater, though it would sit in the film.
Regards,
Scott
Bluegill hit a fly tied that Scott.
Rick
With the caddis hatch on the Arkansas, the trick is to find the right stage of the hatch to imitate, so you aren’t restricted to high floating adult imitations. Your fly might be just the ticket, but if you want to tie an Elk Hair Caddis you need some hackle. If you will pm me your address, I’ll send you a bit to tide you over.
A number of years ago a friend on mine fished one fly in various colours and sizes for a whole season. A hackle less EHC. He used it in hatches of upwing flies, caddis, midges, the lot. He noticed no difference in the numbers of fish caught. Now he considers a dubbed body and deer hair wing a better all round fly than the EHC. He even uses it in size 8 and 10 for sea trout (sea run browns) for his daytime fishing.
Cheers,
A.
Mathews X2
Hans’ CDC & Elk
Iris
No hackle, no problem; they all float, sorta, and they all catch fish.
Regards,
Scott
Grizzly Hackle and Peacock Herl are not needed…the pattern Allan is talking about is the Canoe Fly. It has been around for quite awhile. A dubbed body of Micro Fine BWO and a deer hair wing and head…that is it. Jim Schollmeyer shows how to tie it on pg. 79, Winter 2009 Issue, of Flyfishing & Tying Journal.
I expect that might take a fish or two during the Mother’s Day hatch…
PT/TB 
try using olive colored snowshoe rabbits foot as dubbing for the body, and light dun for the wing. it will float like a cork
Yes, Deer Hair…there are many materials which will provide buoyancy for caddis patterns, but ostrich herl won’t.
Thank you to one an all for the imput…someday I will ask about float ability of emu
Oil… Lol again thank you