CDC Shuttlecocks for rivers

[Spider]

Evening all

I've used CDC Shuttlecocks (with limited success)on stillwaters, when i chased rainbows a few years ago. ( Spiders fished in the top inches of water beat them all!!)

I've never tried them on rivers, instead using the usual F Flies, Griffiths, JT Olives, "my own" brilliant CDC and Herl fly ( drowning terrestrial ) , and a small version of the Deer Hair Sedge ( Bob Wyatt ) , which is simply brilliant.

Do many of you use the CDC Shuttlecock, and how good is it?

Have been reading an article by Jeremy Lucas and he seems to love them....

Tks....

[jindra]

The "classical" shuttlecock is a buzzer imitation, best suited for stillwaters.

The style can be adapted to imitate hatching mayflies of medium to small size. It is very effective when fishing dry fly downstream

J.

[dartmoor navigator]

Why would buzzers be more specific to still waters.... Surely the non-biting midge hatches all over the shop doesn't it?

[andy macbog]

I have used them on the rivers I fish for trout (Spey, Lochay, Lyon, etc.) and find them great. I tie them on a curved hook, though I doubt that makes much difference. Tend to switch to Klinks on faster water though as I find them more bouyant and visible, and less likely to need replacing between fish . . .

Give it a go!?

A

Oh aye . . . just realised who you are! I find your DCD and herl fly tied as a s'cock works well too actually (thanks for that). Thats the one with the openly wound herl . . . . tied as a rib rather than as a body, innit? Stuck legs on it too, when I had a wee leg phase for a while and thought it looked well midgey/dipteran in general. Not tried that one yet though!

[g1zmo]

They've been one of my most succesful flies during August on the small stillwater I fish. Not tried them on small rivers yet but I'll be giving them a go soon. Mine are tied on a #16 grub hook with a stripped peacock quill body and a variety of brown/green/black seals fur thoraxes

[North Country Angler]

For some reason, river fishers in this country seem to refuse to acknowledge the presence of midge in our flowing waters. It may be a historical thing owing to the legacy of our fly fishing forefathers who were preoccupied with the upwinged species (even caddis get comparatively short shrift if you think about it - people get particular about identifying the exact species of upwings and fashioning imitations accordingly, whilst to most, the caddis is just a scruffy brown job - a bit of shaggy stuff on the hook).
The fact is that midge are as numerous - probably more so - than any of the more commonly imitated riverine groups.
So in answer to your question, yes shuttlecocks are deadly on the river - esp sizes 18 down. In fact I would go so far as to say that next time a rising trout refuses all you throw at it, stick one on and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Also worth noting is that the shuttlecock formula presents a very nice hackleless, emerger profile in silhouette - always a winner from trout - and particularly grayling - perspective. Tied in larger sizes to imitate upwings etc, the pattern works a treat.

And while we're on the so called stillwater v river pattern compatibility thing - I stroked a pair of dabblers through the surface of one of my favourite pools a couple of months back, during a sedge hatch, just for a laugh. It worked. And if you really think about it, why shouldn't it?!

ATB,
M

[Arthur Wellesley]

I use a http://www.flyforums.co.uk/fly-tying...once-away.html with some success on rivers in Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

[Buzz]

Yip, tiny is best.

I use them with either dubbed mole or with a stripped quill.
They really come into their own at this time of year, don't save them for the midge hatch either, they work when tiny upwings come off as well.
Get your specs out.



Dave Wilt also does a cracking pattern here, i have been using it with Sheer 14/0 primrose thread and its worked a treat.:-

http://www.riverflybox.co.uk/Simple%...uttlecock.html

[dartmoor navigator]

Originally Posted by North Country Angler

For some reason, river fishers in this country seem to refuse to acknowledge the presence of midge in our flowing waters. It may be a historical thing owing to the legacy of our fly fishing forefathers who were preoccupied with the upwinged species (even caddis get comparatively short shrift if you think about it - people get particular about identifying the exact species of upwings and fashioning imitations accordingly, whilst to most, the caddis is just a scruffy brown job - a bit of shaggy stuff on the hook).
The fact is that midge are as numerous - probably more so - than any of the more commonly imitated riverine groups.
So in answer to your question, yes shuttlecocks are deadly on the river - esp sizes 18 down. In fact I would go so far as to say that next time a rising trout refuses all you throw at it, stick one on and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Also worth noting is that the shuttlecock formula presents a very nice hackleless, emerger profile in silhouette - always a winner from trout - and particularly grayling - perspective. Tied in larger sizes to imitate upwings etc, the pattern works a treat.

And while we're on the so called stillwater v river pattern compatibility thing - I stroked a pair of dabblers through the surface of one of my favourite pools a couple of months back, during a sedge hatch, just for a laugh. It worked. And if you really think about it, why shouldn't it?!

ATB,
M

That was very nicely put and makes perfect sense to me

[otter]

Spider, for midge I tie them on TMC 2457's ( i think) 18's to 22, one simple sucessful one is simply blackthread body, black or natural CDC shuttle.

As an small olive pattern as some already mentioned they can be very effective, I tend to tie them with Coq De Leon Tails, Pearsalls Silk Bodies or very slim dubbed bodies and natural CDC shuttle - pretty much as in Buzz's example with a tail.

I found that they worked very well for small spurwings, also a very well waxed pearsalls yellow, yielding a very greyish green olive once it got a few wettings worked surprisingly well during a massive Iron Blue Hatch that followed hot on the heels of the spurwings.