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CDC Dancing Caddis
Tied by Chuck Thompson |
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Thread: 8/0
Abdomen/Thorax: Antron dubbing
Legs: CDC
Wing: Deer body hair
Hook: Tiemco 200/Daiichi 1270 in size to match local naturals
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| Tying Instructions |
This fly is a modification of the Dancing Caddis dry fly found in "Caddisflies" by Gary LaFontaine. The color schemes that are given in that book for the various caddis genera can be matched in this version if you can locate CDC in a shade similar to that given for the hackle color. The use of CDC came about as a means to put off buying a rooster cape or saddle and I have stuck with it because I think it can provide a little more animation. I have not compared it to the hackle version for skating ability - maybe next time out. I have also had success tying the fly with a peacock herl body and a bleached elk hair wing.
- Place hook in vise with it's point up. Start the thread at one hook gap distance from the eye-end of the hook and wrap forward to about one eye distance back from the eye, then wrap back to the middle of the wrapped area.
- Select two CDC feathers and place the tips together while aligning their concave shape so that they fit like spoons. When tying the CDC onto the hook, place them so that the concave side of the feathers is up (hook point side). Tie them in at the middle of the thread-wrapped area measuring a length of about 1 to 1 1/2 hook gap widths of feather tip extending from the tie-in point. I often wet the CDC fibers at this point to make tie-in easier. Secure the feathers with wraps to the back of the thread area and clip the butts at an angle. Do not raise the CDC at this point. Wrap thread back over the hook shank to about the mid-point of the hook point.
- Spin dubbing evenly onto the thread and dub a tapered body to the CDC butts. I prefer to apply light dubbing to the thread and wrap both forward and backward as necessary to control the body thickness (ending at the eye end of course). A light application of wax may be required depending on choice of thread.
- Comb and stack a portion of deer hair. A small amount of wing material is called for.
- Tie the deer hair in using the pinch technique at the beginning of the body (over the CDC tie down area) with the tips extending just past the hook bend. You can let the hair spread slightly to the sides of the hook as you tie it in - the idea is to let the wing reach slightly downward on both sides of the hook to create the Dancing Caddis impression on the water. A light tug upward on the deer hair butts prior to trimming helps this. Trim the deer hair ends and bind them down.
- Apply backward pressure on the CDC using your fingers to stand it up and seperate it in a fanshape similar to a Comparadun wing.
- Apply dubbing to the thread and dub alternatingly behind and in front of the CDC (using X-wraps under the shank) to stand it up. As dubbing is applied in front of the CDC you can hold it back with your fingers. When finished creating a dubbing head, whip finish at the hook eye. If the legs are too long you can trim them to length without affecting the floating performance of the CDC.
I would be interested in learning of any improvements that you think of if you try tying this fly. It is still a work in progress. I would also like to hear about the conditions under which you have fished the fly and how it performed. You can apply light amounts of floatant (Gink, etc) to the rear portion of the body and the deer hair wing tips but be careful to not get any on the CDC. Floatant matts the fibers and ruins the effectiveness. Also, if the CDC gets flattened in storage and handling, you can apply gentle tugging to bring it back to the fan shape or if you want to seperate the CDC into two bunches (one on each side of the hook).
Happy tying and fishing!
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