What it is
Hareline Natural Elk Hair is a natural elk hair patch made up of hollow elk hair fibers. Those hollow fibers give it high buoyancy on the surface, and the larger fiber diameter makes it a durable, high-floating hair for bigger profiles.
What to tie with it
Use it for downwing dry fly wings and tent-style caddis wings, plus stonefly and hopper wings where you want float and toughness. It also works for extended bodies like hex mayfly extended bodies, dragonfly and damselfly bodies, and as a nymph wingcase when you want a firm, hair-based shell. In streamer tying it shows up in small Bulkhead Streamers where the hollow hair helps support a bulky head and keeps the fly riding up.
Flies and the fish they're for
Elk hair is the signature wing on the Elk Hair Caddis, a classic dry fly for trout and grayling on rivers and riffles where caddis are popping. It’s also a staple in the Stimulator and the Humpy, both go-to floating dries for trout in faster water when you need a high-riding profile that stays afloat. For warmwater, patterns like the Dahlberg Diver and Bulkhead Streamer use hair to build shape and push water for species like bass and pike in lakes and rivers.
How it compares
Compared with deer hair, elk hair has similar hollow fibers but a larger diameter that makes it more buoyant and a better choice for fast water and larger flies. Deer hair is generally better when you need less bulk for smaller flies, and it spins and trims more cleanly for packed heads and sculpted shapes.