CDC

[maharg]

CDC, it is driving me mad!!!!!
I just cant get to grips with it at all.
Nearly ever fly I tie sinks like a stone, or there is so much on it the fish need to take a chainsaw to it first to swallow it!!!!

Also I am begining to think that it is a niche type feather and not for general use like deer hair or poly yarn. Would I be better keeping patterns tied with it in the "special occasions" box?
Perhaps it is just me?

Any tips out there guys, I am about to burn the lot!!!!

[Buzz]

Not all CDC is made equal.
What type/brand are you using?

[maharg]

I have a big bag from GAC and some "Selected Plumes"
I see were you are coming from.

Niche pattern though?????

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by maharg

Niche pattern though?????

It depends where and for what but i would say 80% of my box is CDC from big size 14s down to sub 20s.

Its not ideal for a huge searching fly in rough water but pretty much as good as it gets for the rest of your fishing(on running water), all IMO of course.

The GAC stuff is normally good, in fact i would rate highly.

So what you tying?

[maharg]

Shuttlecock mainly this summer for my loch fishing.
Planning on doing a load of F flies etc, etc for the grayling on the Clyde and Earn

[coasty]

I have been tying using CDC this year and its rapidly taking over my fly box. I bought some CDC in varous colours from Lucian on the forum and it is brilliant quality . I have used it mainly on flies in the sizes 16 down to 22 love the stuff, and there has been no probs with it sinking .

Andy

[maharg]

Ok guys you have convinced me to have another stab at it.
Will post some attempts soon for your constructive critisisim.

[Scratch]

Aye Graham, shove some pictures up mate...

Remember, that unlike deer hair or foam it has no positive buoyancy of its own so to speak... it has to trap air to work.. so it follows that the more of it you strap to hook, the more positive buoyancy you will achieve. I think getting the balance right with CDC can sometimes be tricky, depending on the type and weight of hook, the rest of the dressing design, and the quality of the CDC. The difference between a useless 'sinker', an easthetically pleasing and fish pleasing fly that floats, and a cumbersome over-dressed pile of pish, can littlerally be a few strands of the stuff either way. It's just about getting to know the stuff and your hooks.

[sewinbasher]

Originally Posted by maharg

Shuttlecock mainly this summer for my loch fishing.
Planning on doing a load of F flies etc, etc for the grayling on the Clyde and Earn

Buzz is probably too modest to point you this way but have a look at this

YouTube - Dark Olive Emerger

YouTube - Dark Olive Emerger

use a straight hook rather than a B100 and slope the CDC back and you have the F-Fly.

I use CDC extensively, it took me some time to learn how to use it and I still have many rejects but I could not be without CDC flies in my box. The F-Fly is my "go to" pattern on anything except riffles or choppy water where the DHE takes over.

[tinsoldier]

Could be the type of hooks you are using too,when i first started tying and using cdc i was using the b110 kamasan grub hook and they sank like a stone i now use the fulling mill supergrub hook which is somewhere between the b100 and b110 i also use a pinch of coastal deerhair stacked and 2 cdc plumes this makes the fly more durable as cdc in itself tends to go sodden after a troots gubs been ound it lol,other factors to look at are amount of dubbing ribs etc ,varnish all add weight to the fly a good idea is tie 1 and stick it in a glass of water even give the glass a bit of a shoogle and see how it stand up to the test