Here's my thought: The trout have seen flies like your Elkhair or Goddard Caddis many times before and won't be fooled again. Maybe they want something a little easier to eat-maybe something like a spent caddis, for instance. Try it. It works.

• Hook: Mustad 94840 (or equivalent) size 14, 16, 18
• Thread: Danville's number 8 Yellow, 6/0
• Body: Fine cream dryfly dubbing
• Wing: One clear blond tip of a hen pheasant breast feather
• Hackle: Creamy ginger dryfly hackle

1. Place the hook in the vise and attach the tying thread one hook-gap space behind the eye, windto the end of the shank, and clip off the tag.
2. Apply tiny puffs of dubbing to the tying thread, and dub a thin body that tapers slightly toward the thread starting point.
3. Prepare one hen pheasant breast feather by removing the fibers from each side until the remaining feather tip is as wide as the hook-gap space and will extend beyond the hook bend by one hook-gap space.
4. Place the feather tip flat on top of the hook and make the first turn of thread over the feather tip one hook-gap space behind the eye. Be certain the feather tip does not roll to one side. Lash feather quill toward the eye and clip off one hook-eye space behind the eye.
5. E Attach a dryfly hackle by its butt immediately in front of the wing tie-down point and wind forward to create a trim hackle collar.
6. Note: A Spent Olive Caddis works well, too. Simply use black thread, olive dubbing, partridge back feather for the wing, and brown hackle. Sometimes it's a good idea to trim all the hackle from the bottom of the collar, but always apply a liberal amount of flotant to the fly before making the first cast.