Focus shifting to CDC

[Hans Weilenmann]

Folks, now that we have sort of (?) exhausted the air bubble topic, perhaps we can dissect CDC as a tying material.

Roadkill has made a start...

After all one of the latest and greatest touted materials in flytying today is CDC. Flyfishing writing is full of verbiage, both scientific and homespun, about the bubbles captured, their look from underwater, and how fish can't resist them. I think that we shouldn't give any less validity to those flies tied with modern synthetics, beads, or even the time honored use of fur dubbings such as Leisenring and Hidy advocated.

Personally I find how CDC barbs and barbules dimple the meniscus quite interesting...



Cheers,
Hans W

[Soft-hackle]

Did I miss a discussion on the air bubble? Where?

Mark

[hankaye]

Mark, Howdy;

http://flymphforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2681

hank

[Hans Weilenmann]

*chuckle* I know how to take a hint. CDC is clearly not a material the group at large sees as having any place in the construction of wingless wets

Cheers,
Hans W

[Soft-hackle]

Hans,
Not in my book. Despite the fact that the feathers are suppose to be water repellent, their soft nature and easily moved fibers are perfect for certain applications in wingless wet fly construction. Don't you have a few examples to share with us?

Mark

[DUBBN]

I do find CDC under whelming, but then I only fish drys as a last resort. I cant say I had any real success using CDC on Wets, but I only gave it a couple years testing. Not being the brightest bulb on the tree, my testing methods are probably quite skewed.

[Hans Weilenmann]

Hans,
Not in my book. Despite the fact that the feathers are suppose to be water repellent, their soft nature and easily moved fibers are perfect for certain applications in wingless wet fly construction. Don't you have a few examples to share with us?

Mark

Mark,

For me CDC is just one more tool in my tool kit. As with any tool it has its strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. I try to use the strengths, and mitigate the weaknesses and limitation in the materials I have available, all materials.

For CDC, its strengths lie in floatability (provided the structure is not compromised), and mobility of the barbs ("illusion of life"). This points to using it to good effect in dry and damp patterns.

For sub-surface patterns I have little use for CDC as a material of choice - the floatability properties become a weakness, and the mobility of the barbs is equaled by several other materials such as marabou, after shafts or the fluey barbs found at the base of most feathers we already have.

Cheers,
Hans W

[Otter]

Hans, brave step

I know MikeC did a load of testing on using CDC subsurface on spiders etc and found that apart from initailly dipping under where it seemed to perform , it was less than satisfactory, thats of course not to say that there maybe other uses subsuface. Technically, whilst commonly used hackles in our wets seem fragile, thier inherent elasticity seems an important aspect and CDC whilst seeming to perform regarding mobility , does not have the elastcity required.

It has its limitations but in my view its strongest point is in damp/dries when dealing with trout that are like lightening in spitting a fly back out, the soft CDC definitely can help here.

[Roadkill]

For me CDC is just one more tool in my tool kit. As with any tool it has its strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. I try to use the strengths, and mitigate the weaknesses and limitation in the materials I have available, all materials.For CDC, its strengths lie in floatability (provided the structure is not compromised), and mobility of the barbs ("illusion of life"). This points to using it to good effect in dry and damp patterns.

Hans,

I totally agree and I use it mainly in emerger patterns for selective fish but hate the slime factor or I would use it more. I'll forgo comments about bubble theories, preen oil, and the merits of structure only to add that people can read in depth your many great posts about CDC on http://globalflyfisher.com/.

[Hans Weilenmann]

Roadkill, and all,

It looks far from impressive, but on selective fish the IOBO Humpy is one of the finest emerger patterns around when targeting picky fish



For those not familiar with Jack Tucker's IOBO and IOBO Humpy - the acronym is for It Oughta Be Outlawed

Step by step here:

http://www.danica.com/flytier/steps/iob ... _humpy.htm

Cheers,
Hans W

PS Sheesh that is a crappy picture. I will have to tie up another and snap a better image...