How to Tie Sam Wike's Hi-Viz Spent Caddis

Words by Sam Wike

IS THIS JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF AL TROTH'S ORIGINAL ELK HAIR CADDIS?

Yes, you could say it is. And I wouldn't disagree. In fact, I like to give credit to the creators of original patterns, and I don’t want to take credit for what’s not completely my idea. I suppose you could call this pattern a Troth variant or a Wike’s Hi-Viz, and both titles could be right. On the other hand, isn’t a “creative idea” just two things we are familiar with put together for the first time?

This variant works well on Montana’s Missouri River, where I developed the pattern. It’s a simple caddis pattern worth trying, whether you’re fishing Montana or anywhere else caddis are hatching.  

SO, WHY DEVELOP A VARIANT OF A PROVEN WINNER LIKE THE ELK HAIR CADDIS?

For starters, it’s called the “Hi-Viz” because of the post, which Troth’s original version lacked. Unfortunately, most high-visibility posts on commercially tied patterns are too bright, using fluorescent pink, green, or white colorations. If the fly doesn’t land correctly, or it sinks, it has a very low chance of getting eaten. So, we use a rusty colored post that you can still see well. I recommend using Enrico Puglisi Trigger Point Fibers for this purpose because they float better than other materials and there are tons of great colors, including that subtle rust version, to choose from.

Secondly, on highly productive tailwaters, like the Missouri, anglers encounter incredible numbers of dead and dying caddis on the surface. During this timeframe of the hatch, trout can become ultra-selective, so lazy in fact that they won’t even try to catch a live adult caddis. Instead of attempting to catch a fly that might get away, they identify the dead and casually suck them in, not wasting one ounce of effort. This is similar to what I see during PMD hatches, when a PMD dun won’t buy you an eat, but a Rusty Cripple/PMD Cripple, which imitates a dead or dying mayfly, gets sucked down without hesitation. Remember, overall, trout are lazy—they don’t want to work too hard for a meal. So, when the situation is appropriate, go with something that looks like it can’t get away. That’s why I tied the Hi-Viz Spent Caddis “spent” and made it appear to be dead. In addition, I utilize CDC to cover the deer hair from a trout’s view, giving the fly a softer look and the impression of wings pushing into the surface film, just like the wings on a real dead caddis.

Lastly, I use squirrel on the front of the fly, and I like it when the guard hairs poke out of the dubbing loop. The front of a natural caddisfly has a dark head, antennae, and legs. Dead caddis rarely have any of those things in perfect order. So, the spikey squirrel gives the front of the fly some organized chaos while still making the correct depression in the surface.

The High Viz Spent Caddis has become one of our best-selling patterns at The Trout Shop in Craig, Montana, and at our House of Fly location in Great Falls. People who fish the Missouri’s caddis hatch call the High Viz spent a winner and pack a supply of these to the river each late spring and summer day.

You might wonder, Do trout still eat Al Troth’s original Elk Hair Caddis, the most effective caddis dry fly in history? My answer is, Of course. So, was it worth improving on his innovation and creating my High Viz Spent version? I believe so. Here’s one reason why.

Truth told, I have a little ongoing fly-tying rivalry with my long-time friend and co-worker Fred Telleen. There are only a few patterns of each other’s that we fish on a regular basis. He could fish Al Troth’s original Elk Hair Caddis, or any variety of other caddis patterns on the market today. Instead, Fred fishes my High Viz spent variant. So, in my mind, it must have been worth the effort. When discussing my Hi Viz Spent Caddis Fred says, “This is the way.” So it must be the way, right? Or maybe, as I like to say, “This is the new way.”