CDL nymphs

[JohnScott]

One on a size 16 1X short nymph hook and one on a size 20 2X short emerger hook. Nothing added.



The CDL is for Coq-de-leon. I used feathers from a Whiting Medium Pardo CDL tailing pack. Stripped about eight fibers and tied them in for a tail, then twisted them to strengthen the bundle and wrapped them forward the same you would for a pheasant tail nymph, and tied them off. Nothing else.

The fibers on the Coq-de-leon feathers vary quite a bit on a given feather. Some of them are very slim at the outer end, but closer to the stem they are somewhat thicker. The effect was pretty neat - very slim abdomen, which turned out just about right proportionally lengthwise, and then a thicker thorax - when I got the right fibers. Also, the markings on the CDL feathers tends to create a segmented look when twisted and wrapped.

The size 16 ( more like an 18 ) did pretty well today - took seven bows before it needed to be replaced.



The size 20 was a bit too small ( it is actually about a #24 ) for the water I was fishing. Caught a couple bows, but considering where I was fishing it, I would expect to catch more than that.



The size 20 might do well for a midge in the right place at the right time ??

These were experimental, tied as simply as possible. I wanted to see how the CDL would do tying really small nymphs. I guess the next step would be to dress them more completely. The larger one will probably do well with a soft hackle, including maybe one wrap of peacock herl ?? And the smaller one, with a small CDC wing might make a neat little midge emerger ??

John

[scubatim]

Those look great small (lol ) but great. The smallest hooks I have worked with have been sz.16s I don't know how you guys tie with anything smaller. I guess the only way to find out is to give it a try.

[vargoje3]

I'm the same way. I sometimes tie a size 18 serindipity but there so easy i don't think that counts.

[JohnScott]

Since the Coq-de-leon nymphs worked reasonably well, I thought I would tie up some other patterns using the same basic technique and give them a go.

This technique is limited, by virture of the length of the CDL fibers, to small flies. But from a tying point of view, it has a lot of merit.



From the upper left -

Size 18 parachute with a CDL tail and body, mallard flank fibers for the wing, superfine dubbing thorax, and standard grizzly hackle.

Size 16 1X short CDL and starling wet fly.

Size 16 1X short CDL, peacock herl, and hen wet fly.

Size 20 2X short CDL and loop wing CDC emerger.

Since the same bundle of CDL fibers is used for both the tail and abdomen, these flies are very easy to tie. Choosing the right fibers on the feather and reducing the number of fibers permits tying a very slim abdomen.

From the first outing, it seems the CDL body may not be as durable as some other materials, e.g. biots or dubbing. Or it may be that I just did not tie that fly as well as I could have ?? On the other hand, the simplicity of the tying process makes this an attractive alternative when tying small flies.

John

[JohnScott]

Tested the CDL Parachute today on one of our spring creeks. Caught a small rainbow on the very first cast. Unfortunately, the pic was out of focus. Caught this one a few minutes later.



In about two hours of fishing this pattern, I landed about twenty bows. Think I got eleven on the first fly and the rest on the second one.

The flies held up well - but kind of gave up on floating. Probably should add another couple turns of hackle for the faster water.

John

[jimsnarocks]

Hi john, I couldn't figure out how to post a photo on a PM so I will show it here. I followed your well written recipe for your Pine Squirrel Cheater. It came out like this. Does this look anything like what it's supposed to? I used mouse colored rabbit. Also used a LOONNGG shanked 6 hook. If its right I will go online and try to find some squirrel. What color do I want? Thanks for your help. Jim

[alra195]

Hey John!

Great looking flies. I guess it goes without saying the fish have also affirmed this. Sound like your having great fun. Have you tried counter wrapping the CDL with thread to improve the durability?

In any case, keep up the good work. I'm always delighted by your creativity!

[JohnScott]

Hi john, I couldn't figure out how to post a photo on a PM so I will show it here. I followed your well written recipe for your Pine Squirrel Cheater. It came out like this. Does this look anything like what it's supposed to? I used mouse colored rabbit. Also used a LOONNGG shanked 6 hook. If its right I will go online and try to find some squirrel. What color do I want? Thanks for your help. Jim

Jim -

You can include a photo in a PM just like you do on a Bulletin Board post.

Looks pretty good. Honestly, I'm surprised you did that well with rabbit. My attempts with rabbit were really pathetic, which is why I ended up with the pine squirrel. Pine squirrel ( and use pine squirrel, not just any squirrel, for best effect ) has really thin hide which makes for much easier wrapping than rabbit, and great movement in the water.

My favorite ( most productive ) color is sculpin olive, although I have used black with some decent results. I think natural might be a good one, but just haven't gotten around to trying it yet.

Go on line and send me your address by PM - I'll send along a few strips of both sculpin olive and black and you can try them before you buy them.

John

[JohnScott]

Hey John!

Great looking flies. I guess it goes without saying the fish have also affirmed this. Sound like your having great fun. Have you tried counter wrapping the CDL with thread to improve the durability?

In any case, keep up the good work. I'm always delighted by your creativity!

Hi Joe -

Haven't seen you around much lately. Was wondering a couple days ago how you were doing ??

I hadn't thought of counterwrapping the CDL, or ribbing it. My natural tendency is to keep them as simple as I can. I think the nymph just wasn't tied off properly. The parachutes seemed to hold up pretty well. When I get around to doing autopsies on the flies I've used, I may have to rethink that aspect of it.

Hope your year is off to a good start.

John

[Uncle Barry]

Good afternoon John
This really grabs me as a Trout tricker, more so as I mainly fish wets,

"Size 16 1X short CDL and starling wet fly."

I tie a number of small starling feathered flies, in wet of course.
My problem is I can never get a beauitful flowing series of feathers in the collar/hackle as you have.

In the picture are they already wet?

Or,
can you shed some light on your method to please me please ?

Kind regards,
UB