Anyone out there have any experience with CDC tuft’s? I ordered some from Ron over at Hook & Hackle to try on an upcoming swap. How do they compare to regular CDC feather’s? I’ll be tying a dry caddis pattern.
Tufts, or puffs, in my experience are fairly short, dense feathers. I use them for wings on micro caddis (14’s and under) and they work very nicely. Usually only takes one tufut or puff to work as the wing andd float the fly.
REE
Another difference between oiler puffs and “regular” CDC feathers is that the puffs don’t have a stem like the regular ones do, which may be good or bad depending on the look you want. When used as a wing on a caddis, as Ron said, they have more of an elk or deer hair wing appearance - fuller and thicker - compared to the flatter look that a regular CDC feather has.
Joe
heres some good readind and pictures explaining the puffs
I really enjoy using CDC “Puffs”, they are easy to use and may be incorporated into any number of different patterns. Here is a PMD Emerger pattern I tie. I use them a lot for an RS2 glass bead pattern I tie and for Micro Caddis…
PT/TB 
Nice link, Normand. Thanks for posting that.
REE
I love the puffs! They really do make for a highly floatable fly. I especially like them when tying Smoke Jumper style flies. But, one of my favorite uses is when I use them for my Halfback/Foamback Emergers:
Smoke Jumper (not my tie):
KG’s Halfback/Foamback Emerger PMD:
Kelly.
I am not back tying yet, but here is an oiler puff buzzer I tied some time ago.
Awesome flies guys and a very helpfull link Normand. Thanks for the feedback , this does sound like some cool stuff.