![]() This type generally recommended as an imitation of a fluttering caddisfly is not very effective when trout are feeding selectively, even if the adults are fluttering. There are no patterns with upright wings. Gary Lafontaine makes the following observation about the dry fly patterns in his book, “There are some notable absences in the selections. ![]() When tied, this hair will flair up and form a wing that extend up over the body rather than down flat as a real caddis fly. Most EHC pattern are tied with hollow hair which flairs. It was not meant to be a slower water fly.Īl Troth, when he first published his EHC, noted that the EHC should be tied with hair that did not flair, but this type of hair is difficult to find especially for smaller patterns and now virtually every EHC now is tied with a prominent flared wing.ĭid you also know that the EHC is not in the Gary LaFontaine's "Caddisflies”? The reason is that the EHC, as it is most often tied, is not a very realistic caddis fly pattern. Have fun with experimenting and more importantly get out and try some of these new flies on your favorite waters.The elk hair caddis was designed as a fast water fly and to imitate the skittering caddis by twitching and skating the fly on the hackle tips. Take the time to think about what the potential benefits could be of substituting a synthetic in place of a natural fiber and what you are trying to accomplish with the material you are using. Insects won't grow on these materials and they definitely won't dry out or turn smelly if you let them sit too long.īoth natural and synthetic materials have a place in your fly tying repertoire. The last key feature is that most synthetics don't have to be cared for after you purchase them. Another nice feature of synthetics is that they come in all natural colors, and even some fluorescent, and UV bright finishes. They are reproducible from package to package so you can order online or over the phone without actually handling the materials to know the quality. Synthetics can be manufactured at any length or thickness with consistency. This can be the difference between changing dry flies every few fish to using one pattern all day. Secondly most synthetic materials do not absorb water, so flies do not get waterlogged. These fibers can be layered and built up to create awesome bait fish imitations that are easy to cast and fish. First off synthetic materials like polar fiber can create the impression of bulk with much less weight. There are also several advantages to using synthetic fibers as well, especially if you are planning on tying larger flies. As you start tying you will be going through lots of materials while honing your skills and these value packs of naturals will really save you some money. ![]() For example on a standard rabbit mask you will be able to pull off several colors of rabbit dubbing (for dubbing bodies) and guard hairs (tailing/ throat/ wing material). Although they might not last as long as synthetics to wear and tear you usually get more per package and multiple materials per package. ![]() I am willing to bet that none of us out there have ever actually seen a fire tiger colored minnow swimming in a river? One of the most important aspects to using natural materials for the beginning tier is that you get a lot of bang for your buck with these materials. In addition to the texture natural materials have colors that better imitate what fish really intend on feeding on. These materials get fish to bite and hold on after they have taken flies because they do not feel foreign or fake. Natural furs, hackles and herls (ostrich and peacock) are soft and supple and move in the water in ways that synthetics never could. First off the feel and texture of natural materials cannot be duplicated. Using natural fibers for flies definitely has a few advantages. New materials like mylar, polar hair and epoxy have become a standard in fly tying and patterns are looking more and more realistic than ever. In today's world fly tying like most other areas in fishing is constantly evolving. These flies all were all originally designed with mostly natural fibers so it was easy for me to get comfortable tying with natural materials. As I began learning to tie flies I started with figuring out classic flies like Adams, Wulff and Quill dry fly patterns and Prince, Pheasant tail and Hares Ear Nymphs. I started tying flies nearly 20 years ago and at that time natural fibers were just what was available locally. While every fly tier has their own preference as to what is the better material (natural fibers or synthetic fibers), it is prudent to look at the special qualities each of these groups has to offer.
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