Dry FlybeginnerSoutheast & Carolinas
Elk Hair Caddis
$3.50
Available Sizes#12 - #18
Color Variations
TanOliveBlack
Al Troth perfected this pattern on the Beaverhead River in Montana, but it has become the foundational caddis imitation on every trout stream in the Southeast. The elk hair wing is unsinkable -- it rides through the pocket water and plunge pools of mountain streams like a tiny wooden boat, bouncing off rocks and swirling through eddies while maintaining the dignified posture of an adult caddisfly doing nothing wrong. When trout are slashing at caddis in the riffles of the Davidson or Watauga, this is the fly that translates their enthusiasm into tight lines.
Quick Facts
TypeDry Fly
Difficultybeginner
SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall
Target SpeciesRainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout
Sizes#12 - #18
Best LocationsDavidson River, NC; Watauga River, TN; Chattooga River, SC
Where to Fish It
Davidson River
NC · Mountain Freestone
Watauga River
TN · Mountain Freestone
Chattooga River
SC · Mountain Freestone
Map unavailable. Locations for Elk Hair Caddis: Davidson River, NC; Watauga River, TN; Chattooga River, SC
Related Reading
region guide
Southeast: From Smokies Brookies to Lowcountry Reds
The American Southeast spans an extraordinary gradient — from native brook trout in the cold headwaters of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to sight-casting for tailing redfish in the spartina grass of the Lowcountry. This is the guide to fishing both ends of that spectrum and everything in between.
seasonal playbook
The Fall Guide: Changing Seasons, Changing Tactics
Fall is when the fishing world rearranges itself. Brown trout become aggressive and territorial as spawning urges override caution. Steelhead push into Pacific Northwest rivers on autumn rain. Striped bass blitz baitfish along the Northeast coast. And trout streams that were too warm in August cool into prime condition. Here's how to fish every opportunity the changing season offers.
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