A little CDC Loop Emerger with thorax tied long and straggly - perhaps imitating legs or drowned wings?

Hook: Partridge 15G #20
Thread; Powersilk 10/0, orange
Tail: Fibres from Hends Spectra flash
Abdomen: Turkey Biot, olive
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend (ginger) & rabbit guard hairs - in split thread
Wing: CDC, Khaki

~Dave.

Tying with CDC

Cul de Canard has many uses, most importantly (though not exclusively!) as a dry fly material. Purchasing good quality CDC is essential, however it does not stop there. There are a huge range of feathers available in different colors, shape, barb length and barb count... It can become difficult to know which feather to use for which fly. As you practise tying with CDC, you will become more familiar with which styles of feather suits the fly you are tying. I use certain CDC producers for specific flies. For instance, the CDC loop emerger is tied with a different type of feather from the CDC Dun.

Although I advocate trying to keep tying as as simple as possible, it can be useful to know exactly what you are using and what you require. In time I'll add the information to the River Fly Box too. But here, Hans Welenmann has produced a comprehensive guide to tying with CDC and making the correct feather choice. He splits the feathers into types and highlights the sort of flies best tied with the specific feather.

Hans Weilenmann - A guide to tying with CDC

Well worth a read.

~Dave.

CDC Comparaduns #20

Hook: Partridge SLD #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0 (either tan or orange)
Tail: Coq de Leon
Abdomen & Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend (either brown or ginger)
Wing: 3 plumes of CDC

~Dave

Sparse or heavy parachute hackles?

Carrying parachute-hackled flies with different hackle densities widens your options:

Both paraduns are tied on Partridge SLD #20

Sparse; two turns of hackle:



Heavier, four turns of hackle:


~Dave

Parachute Vs. CDC

For fast, more turblent water:


Hook: 15BNX #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, light olive
Rib: Tying thread darkened with perm. marker
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend, peacock
Wing post: Funky Fibre, green
Hackle: Silver Badger


For smooth, glassy glides (and very picky fish):




Hook: 15BNX #20
Thread: Sheer 14/0, tan
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, light olive
Rib: Tying thread darkened with perm. marker
Thorax: Orvis Spectrablend, peacock
Loop Wing: CDC, natural

Update: The same pattern with a more dense parachute hackle:



~Dave

Czech Nymphs - pink & olive variants

A couple more Czech nymphs:

Pink & Cream





Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, cream
Thorax: Argentinian hare, natural
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, pink #19
Black permanent marker over the thorax and varnish over shell back)


Olive





Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Abdomen: Orvis Spectrablend, Dark Olive
Thorax: Argentinian hare, dyed olive
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, olive #34
Black permanent marker over the thorax and varnish over shell back)

~Dave

Copper Czech

Hook: Partridge CZF #12
Ballast: Flat lead, two layers
Thread: Powersilk 10/0, olive
Body: Argentinian hare, natural
Shell-back: Hends Spectra Flash, copper

A very happy New Year to you,

~Dave