This pattern is the invention of Al Troth. It is a superb imitation of an adult Caddis or Sedge fly. Elk hair is buoyant but it is not easy to tie in as it tends to slip. Caddis flies live in both still and moving water and represent an important food source for the wild Nidd trout

Materials

• Barbless Hook. Dry fly size 12 to 14. Size 12 is easier!
• Thread - Dark Brown or black
• Body of dark hare’s fur
• Wing of Elk hock hair
• Red cock hackle
• Rib of fine gold wire.

Method

• Mount the hook and squeeze the barb down. Attach the thread behind the eye. Go down the shank a few turns and tie in approx 10cm of fine gold wire for the rib.
• Wind down the shank securing the wire as you go to the barb/bend.
• Wax the thread and dub hares fur onto it by twisting the fur in one direction only. Wind the dubbed thread back up the shank and stop 2 or 3mm from the eye. Tie off the dubbed thread with a whip finish for security.
• Tie in the hackle with the front of the feather facing the eye.
• Make two turns of the hackle at the front of the dubbed body and then in open turns wind the hackle down the shank towards the bend.
• Take two turns around the hackle stem with the fine gold wire rib and remove the waste.
• Wind the rib forwards to trap the hackle stalk but avoid trapping fibres by wiggling it.
• Tie off the rib with the thread hanging behind the eye and remove the waste wire.
• Select the Elk hair and cut from the fur patch. Remove the underfur with a comb.
• Drop the hairs into a hair stacker, point first and GENTLY tap to align the tips.
• Remove the bunch and add some floo glue or similar to the butt ends keeping it well back from the area you will use for tying in. This just stabilises the hair together.
• Offer the Elk bunch up to the hook shank with the tips level with the bend.
• Holding the hair above the hook shank take three or four semi-firm turns around just the hair and then lower the bunch onto the hook shank.
• The trick is judging how the hair will behave when attached to the hook shank. Tight turns will cause the hair to flare away from the shank. The semi FIRM turns secure the position and compactness of the bunch without flare. The next few tight turns nearer the eye secures them.
• Take 3 or 4 turns round the hair and the shank together. Check the flare and position of the bunch.
• Take 3 or 4 tight turns in front of the previous turns, keeping a firm grip on the bunch.
• Cut the waste hair butts away and make a couple of half hitches to secure the bunch.
• Trim the butts at an angle (see photo above) and secure again with half hitches if necessary.
• Add several small drops of varnish to the hair butts to secure them and clear the eye.