Okay here's a question for

everyone who fishes small streams for trout. The recent fashion thingy has made me look at my dry fly hackle differently. Sort of like tying with dollar bills.

I fish Catskill and Wulff patterns for those little wild rainbows and native brook trout. I catch a good many fish on them. I like to tie them. But here's the question: ' Can you tie a effective small stream fly without using dry fly hackle?'

These streams are fast usually with pockets and pools.

What non-hackle patterns would you recommend or endorse? It's raining here and I'm inside after the chores and have to stuff is done. I know I tie a lot from non-traditional materials but this is slightly perplexing me.

Really appreciate thoughts.

CDC & elk is one that comes to mind...effective and super easy to tie.

I created the Extended Body Inchworm specifically for small stream fishing. All foam and rubber legs. Doesn't mean they won't work on a a larger river, but I had small streams in mind when first creating it last summer. When it hits faster, more turbid water, the EBI will usually go under and then float back to the surface once it reaches calmer water.



Also, instead of using hackle on your Elk Hair Caddis, you can use foam, elk hair, and rubber legs. Segment the foam to give it a more realistic silhouette. Works great and is an excellent substitute for the EHC.

Definitely the sparkle dun. No hackle required, just some deer hair or comparadun specific hair, z-lon, and dubbing. For dubbing, I would go with grey, light cahill, and mahogany.