Twitching and Skittering Caddis Flies

By Matt Chapple

Elk Hair Caddis
Elk Hair Caddis imitations provide some excellent action through the fall. They float very well and are great attractors.

Cooler nights, shorter days, and the cool rains of autumn all contribute to the lowering of water temperatures of central New York’s trout streams. Lower water temperatures stimulate trout. Unlike in the summer when trout can be very lethargic and extremely selective. Fall trout become more active and will move quickly to snatch a unsuspecting meal.

Caddis hatches will continue well into the autumn and Elk Hair Caddis imitations provide some excellent action through the fall. They float very well and are great attractors. There are a number of ways to fish a caddis imitation with a little action. One way is to cast upstream and dead drift the fly, but give your rod a little shake as the fly drifts. This little twitch will give the fly some life and may catch the eye of a predator below. A second way is to let the fly swing, skittering across the surface after in passes you and is downstream. This technique imitates an egg laying insect and elicits the most intense strikes. The third way to give the fly action is to parachute cast down stream and let the fly drift then give it an upstream twitch causing the fly to jump upstream briefly, which imitates a hatching insect trying to take flight.

The Elk Hair Caddis is easy to tie. Leave out the hackle and it becomes even easier. The elk hair itself will give the fly plenty of buoyancy. The body will ride in the film on the dead drift simulating an emerging insect.

Elk Hair Caddis Specifications
Hook: Dry Fly Hook sizes 12-20
Thread: Color to match wing 6/0
Body: Any fine dubbing (Beaver is great with a few guard hairs and it is almost a substitute for hackle)
Good Colors: Green, Brown, Cinnamon, Tan, Olive, and Gray.
Wing: Elk Hair
Good Colors: Natural, Brown, Gray, Olive.
Check CNY Fly Box

Mix and match to make a fly that looks good. Try a peacock body too, and give it some action. Fall trout are more eager to chase a fly with a little life as they fatten up for the winter.