FrequentTyer wrote:
I think it is funny that every time CDC comes up people will tell you how it floats like a cork, and then immediately tell you to use pixie dust. CDC really doesn’t float that much better than any other material. It has a large surface area relative to its density, so it does float well, but once the fibers get slimed it’s useless. And because of that large surface area, they get slimed much more effectively than a rooster hackle. The dust dries out the slime, but that’s just temporary. The Troth EHC floats just as well, and just needs an occasional false cast to dry it out.
But CDC is a great material and has its place. I do use the CDC and Elk caddis, but here I think you get the full benefit of CDC, and that is lifelike movement. The stray fibers that increase as you wind the CDC feather towards the front of the fly create a leggy chaotic halo on the water that seems to be attractive to fish. I’ve incorporated sparse CDC into ant and beetle patterns to try and get the same sort of effect. The only pattern I like that relies on CDC for floatation is the loop wing emerger. Here I also think that the look of the CDC is important. Trailing fibers create an illusion of movement and the loop catches air and looks shiny and shuck-like. I do wind up replacing these flies often, but they are simple ties and work well enough that it is worth it.
If I ever start a business I want to hire the marketing team behind CDC.
Mike.
