Deer Hair Caddis 02/12/2026 Photo Album
For an early report on the deer hair caddis check out my post of 11/28/2011. It contains a materials table.
This is one of the earliest flies I tied, and it remains a winner with minimal modification. It Is very sparse, as it has no tail and only a dubbed body, deer hair wing and hackle collar. The most difficult aspect of tying this fly is preventing the deer hair from twisting around the hook shank. One way to prevent this is by making one full wrap around the deer hair bundle above the hook shank. I have done this, but I find that if I maintain a solid pinch on the hair above the hook shank and then make two wraps with moderate tension and then snug down, I can prevent the hair from rolling. I must warn, however, that you must maintain a solid pinch throughout this step and even after you snug down the first two wraps.
Olive Deer Hair Caddis
I carry three body colors: olive-brown, light gray and tan, and I rarely use the tan. The olive-brown and light gray seem to satisfy the fish in nearly all situations. I also have size 14, 16, and 18. I do not utilize the size eighteens very much, but I like having them in case of a small caddis appearance, such as I encountered on the Frying Pan River on one occasion.
Left Side GrayOver the last several seasons I have enjoyed significant success trailing the deer hair caddis a foot or eighteen inches behind a hippie stomper in a double dry fly configuration. The hippie stomper allows me to track the earth-toned caddis quite well, and the fish seem to favor the more natural looking caddis. I love fishing this combination and the enjoyment derived from a sudden eat from a hungry trout.
Standing on Hackle TipsThe technique described in the last paragraph has led me to use more larger, size 14, deer hair caddis. When I counted my supply, I decided that I could use more14’s, so I spun out five additional light grays and three olive-browns. Caddis are present nearly year round, so I am armed with adequate quantities to dupe western trout.