CDC Caddis
CDC (cul-de-canard) feathers contain natural oils that repel water better than any silicone floatant. A CDC wing on a caddis pattern rides flush in the film with minimal effort, producing a delicate, lifelike silhouette on slow water. Especially effective on spring creeks and the back eddies of tailwaters. Do not apply floatant to CDC — simply pick the fibers out with a brush if they get wet.
- Type
- dry fly (Caddis)
- Hook sizes
- #14–20
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #14–20
- thread: Olive, gray, or tan 10/0
- body: Superfine dubbing to match hatch
- wing: CDC feather(s), tent-wing style
- hackle: Short dry fly hackle, optional 1–2 turns
Tying steps
- Mount hook and start 10/0 thread in olive or tan; wrap to bend.
- Dub a slim, smooth body of Superfine in the hatch color from bend to the 2/3 mark.
- Select 2–3 CDC feathers; strip the stem bases and tie them on flat over the body as a tent wing.
- Trim the CDC feathers level with the hook bend.
- Optionally wind 1–2 turns of a short dry fly hackle in front of the wing for a slight lift.
- Build a tiny head and whip finish; do not apply any silicone floatant to CDC.
- Fluff the CDC wing fibers with a dubbing needle to open up air pockets that improve buoyancy.
- Inspect the fly on the water — the CDC should sit flush in the surface film, not upright like a dry fly.
- Do not apply any floatant; if the fly gets waterlogged, press it in amadou or a desiccant patch to restore flotation.