For me, the Elk Hair Caddis was my caddis pattern to the near exclusion of any other for about 35 years.
Now, I prefer this pattern which, I believe, was designed by Mike Lawson. Hope I have that right so as not to offend anyone including Rene Harrop who also has tied it for many years.
Anyway, would like to see your favorites.
By the way, Hans’ CDC and Elk is also in the running behind this one for me.
I like the EHC tied with a pearl body, my favorite.
Yup Byron, that’s Mike Lawson’s pattern…I am becoming partial to Mike Mercer’s Missing Link Caddis…
PT/TB 
My favorite is the October Caddis …
… and this guy ( and many other fishies this past fall ) …
… very much appreciated the opportunity to prove …
Toss-up for me between EHC and Goddard… I just love tying the Goddard and fishing them is extremely effective…
For the streams in MO that I fish, it is the #16 elk hair caddis in tan.
I very rarely use any other size or color.
Dubbed body, CDC wing, size and color to match the bugs. Only one I bother with any more.
I’ll 2nd the Goddard. I find the Goddard style very efficient. It’s very visible, pretty durable, and floats well even after multiple fish. When the fish are rising to a thick hatch, I want to catch fish rather than fuss with redressing or changing flies. I tie a #16 Goddard with a fiarly thin hackle, no antennae, and use a marker to color the bottom to match the abdomen.
I have mainly used the Elk Haired caddis, but have begun tying more of the X caddis style. It is basically the EHC without the palmered hackle and adding a zelon shuck.
Byron, I like the looks of the one in your photo. What is the recipe for that pattern? Could you post it here??
Dr Bob
Bob,
It is the Henry’s Fork CDC Caddis
The body is either dubbed or goose biot or turkey biot
Under feather is a matched pair of CDC
over wing is brown feather from partridge
Thorax is peacock with hackle palmered through
Hackle bottom is wide V clipped for low floating
Hope this helps!
The one I use most is the one on the left in this image. We don’t have a name for it. Or even a standard dressing but it works in all its guises. The only common thing is that it varies between heavy, very heavy and stupidly heavy.
Cheers,
A.
John Scott, a rubber-legged fly, and a picture of Mr. Left Thumb.
All is right with the world as we know it. 
Regards,
Ed
John,
What Caddis pattern do you fish late Spring and most of the summer?
Was hoping Hans might post here his CDC/Elk.
Here is my version of his in a green butted female ovipositing caddis.
It’s the good old fashioned elk hair caddis for me. I use magic markers too “match the hatch”. (It’s also very easy to tie, a plus for me!!! hehehe)
Byron -
Up until last year, I would hit some caddis hatches fairly regularly. Early on, I used an EHC, but then for about four years it was mostly Harrop’s Henry’s Fork Caddis, which is quite similar to the fly you started this thread with.
Last spring and summer there just was no caddis hatch to speak of on my home water and I didn’t fish caddis patterns until the big fall caddis came out. Spent the spring and summer with big flies as in skwalas, salmonflies, golden stones, hoppers, and green drakes, and some smaller flies like mahogany duns and BWOs.
If I get on some water this year that has good caddis hatches, I’ll start with Harrop’s HFC.
John
Got it!
Thanks Byron.
Dr Bob
chuckle
Here you go, Byron
Plan A, B, C:
Plan D:
Cheers,
Hans W
Hans,
Do you ever shorten the CDC on ABC???
Do you find enough colors in CDC to imitate the various specie of Caddis?
