Dry fly
Elk Hair Caddis
Also called EHC
Short answer
The Elk Hair Caddis is a dry fly that imitates adult caddisflies. It is usually tied in sizes 12 to 18. Fish it late spring through autumn, strongest in evening when caddis are egg-laying. A reliable searching fly on freestone water any time between hatches.
Dry fly Beginner #12-#18
Al Troth, 1957. Classic high-floating, durable caddis imitation. Great in fast water.
Printed on the Queen of hearts
Caddisflies do not sit politely on the water the way mayflies do. They skitter, they flutter, they run across the surface, and trout chase them with a violence that mayfly rises never have. The Elk Hair Caddis is built for that world: a stiff palmered hackle through the body and a solid wing of hollow elk hair make it one of the most genuinely buoyant dry flies you can tie.
That buoyancy is the reason it has outlasted most of its competition. It rides broken pocket water and fast riffles where a delicate mayfly imitation drowns on the second cast, and it holds up a dropper nymph without going under. On many freestone rivers in summer, an Elk Hair Caddis with a small beadhead hanging eighteen inches below is the entire day's fishing.
It also earns eats when nothing is hatching. The silhouette is close enough to a stonefly, a small hopper, or a moth blown off the bank that fish in fast water rarely take the time to argue. Fish it as a searching pattern on unfamiliar water and you will find out quickly where the players are.
What does an Elk Hair Caddis imitate?
Adult caddisflies.
How do you fish an Elk Hair Caddis?
Dead drift through riffles and seams, then let it swing and skate at the end. A deliberate twitch just as it starts to drag imitates an adult caddis running for the bank and will move fish that ignored a clean drift.
When should you fish an Elk Hair Caddis?
Late spring through autumn, strongest in evening when caddis are egg-laying. A reliable searching fly on freestone water any time between hatches.
What are the quick tips for fishing it?
- Trim the hackle flat underneath to sit it lower when fish get picky.
- Use it as the dry in a dry-dropper rig — few dries hold a bead better.
- Tan and olive cover most situations; carry a black one for evening.
How is an Elk Hair Caddis tied?
- Hook: standard dry fly, #12-#18
- Thread: tan 8/0
- Body: hare's ear or antron dubbing
- Rib: fine gold wire, counter-wrapped
- Hackle: brown, palmered over the body
- Wing: bleached or natural elk hair
Dressings vary by tier and region. Treat this as the common recipe, not the only one.
Fishes well alongside
The physical version
Elk Hair Caddis is Queen of hearts in the deck.
All 54 flies, drawn by hand, on Genuine Bicycle Rider Back stock with the patented Air-Cushion finish. A reference you can actually deal out — which was rather the point.
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