Fly Tying: The Hairwing’s Versatility

This pattern style has several variations that the tier can use to move between a Mayfly emerger (Hairwing Dun) to a Caddis (Matthews X-Caddis & the Elk Hair Caddis). The Elk hair wing is central to the three patterns. The Eld Hair Caddis would have the palmered hackle and no tail. The Hairwing Dun has a modest hackle wound beneath the Elk Hair wing and still can have the tail (feather barbs or synthetic fibers).

Elk Hair Caddis (SwittersB)

Black Quill Hairwing Dun (Tim Hiltz) Here the Hairwing is a bit sparser and you see the hackle wound at the thorax beneath the hairwing. This most often seems to delineate the Hairwing pattern between a Mayfly and a Caddis.

Fly Tying: Floating High & Dry, or No?

Iris Caddis @ Charlie's Fly Box Inc.

The  IRIS CADDIS has been around for awhile. It floats in that realm that increasingly makes me ever more comfortable. In the film, this fly floats low and presents a profile counter to what many of us strive for….a dry fly floating high and mostly dry atop the water. Akin to the emerger patterns or equal to, this pattern along with hair wing mayfly patterns require a little more concentration, but are enticingly productive. I recently used this pattern and a hair wing mayfly dun pattern. I received countless hits on these patterns. I did miss quite a few hookups because I was not tracking the flies location. So, I was a touch slow on the set. Maybe the EHC has a little competition?  Iris Caddis Pattern Recipe

Tying a Hairwing Dun-Emerger (But, a Well Known Caddis Pattern too)

I frankly never remember to tie these patterns. How simple while churning out dozens of Elk Hair Caddis (EHC) to simply tie the Hairwing Dun. Whether, the tail is a traditional split tail of hackle fibers or as I tied it with Zelon/Antron fibers, the pattern does well as a mayfly dry pattern (and a caddis too).

These were tied on a size 14 hook. The thread was tan 8/0. The tail was tan Zelon and the dubbing was a tan synthetic by Hareline Dubbin. The dubbing was twisted onto the thread and wrapped up the shank to satisfy the abdomen and thorax. Tan elk hair was cut from the hide, evened out in a hair stacker and tied in as a wing. Simple as that. No rib. A basic EHC wing for a mayfly pattern. This pattern satisfies the mayfly emerger/adult pattern needs.

Notice the identical wing for the EHC and the Hairwing Dun. Below is a Hairwing Dun tied with a traditional hackle barb tail I found at Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing. I must note what I took to be a nice experimental effort on my part has the same look as the famous Matthews X-Caddis…hmm…the complications of thinking you are original and realizing, as you would expect, others have been there..done that..and called it something else. Oh well..the wing is the issue here. The tail I have used conflicts with the renowned X-Caddis pattern. What can I say…it works for both.