Quite possibly the most iconic dry fly imitation for adult caddisflies, the Elk Hair Caddis is a fly that you can count on to match just about any hatch of the 15,000 or so different caddis species on the planet. Designed by Pennsylvanian Al Troth in 1957, this fly has stood the test of time and has likely fooled millions of trout (don’t worry, it fools more than just trout) all over the globe since its creation.
While the Elk Hair Caddis does an excellent job at matching the hatch, it also excels as a searching pattern whenever prospecting over new water or even as a top fly in a dry dropper rig. Dead drift it through a run, skitter it across the surface, or even use it to save the day whenever stoneflies are in the air and you haven’t got an imitation--the Elk Hair Caddis is a fly that you can never have enough of.
