While Kevlar can be a bit of a bear to work with, it has its uses when it comes to large flies, synthetic materials or spinning hair. Kevlar threads are super tough with very little stretch. Nylon threads in comparison to polyester have more stretch making them easier to work with. Nylon and polyester are cheap, thin and strong, making them ideal for tiers. Silk or newer gel spun polyethylene (GSP) is also available if one looks hard enough. Nylon, Polyester and Kevlar are the most used threads by today’s tiers. Three basic thread types dominate the fly tying market. You can spin this thread to keep it tight but it is another chore that the tier has to remember. As you wrap multi-strand threads, they can fray (by hitting the hook point or having too much pressure) or separate causing the person tying to go back and correct the wraps. While multi-strand thread generally lies flatter on the hook shank (smoother appearance) than single-strand thread, the fraying or breaking strength of this fiber makes it harder to work with. ![]() ![]() Single-Strand Threads Versus Multi-Strand Threadsīoth of these types of threads have advantages when it comes to tying, but overall, single-strand threads are easier to use especially for the novice tier. Next time you’re shopping for fly tying thread, take a moment to consider thread type, size and whether single-strand or multi-strand is best. Other than the hook, fly tying thread is the most important item used in flies because it is what holds all the materials in place. Please don't copy/distribute the contents of this page without my explicit permission.Many fly tiers won’t skimp when it comes to purchasing fly tying materials such as hackles or dubbing for fly tying but never pay any thought to the thread they’ll be using. It is tied with easily obtainable materials and fast/simple to tie. The illusion of movement/life is provided by the straggling CDC barbs which suggest any or all of the following: straggling legs, antenna, trailing shuck, crippled wings, etc. EHC is a great fly, but I like to think the CDC&Elk improves on this great pattern. The inspiration for the CDC&Elk has been Al Troth's classic Elk Hair Caddis. Summer 2001: Can now report that the westslope cutthroat in British Columbia and the brookies in Alberta have also added this pattern to their list of favorite food items. All but five fish were taken on the CDC&Elk. In spite of the very hot weather, the wildfires, often low water conditions and the absence of any real hatch activity I had some excellent fishing! Landed hundreds of trout and a couple of whitefish. Fished the CDC&Elk almost exclusively on fourteen streams/rivers this trip. Summer 2000: Now back from three weeks fishing Utah, Idaho and Montana streams and rivers. And not just for use as a caddis imitation. On seventeen of them the CDC&Elk was the pattern of choice, by far outfishing the other flies I tried. Just some of many fond memories fishing the pattern:ĭuring the summer of 1994 I spent six weeks fishing various parts of Washington, Montana and Idaho. The CDC&Elk has become a firm favorite with many other anglers across several continents. ![]() To this day I find new applications for fishing it and new conditions where it delivers. From its beginning as a modified Elk-hair Caddis it slipped into the slot as the go-to fly for a multitude of mayfly hatches, a general search pattern to cover hatchless periods, an emerger pattern, and a wet fly. ![]() It is a pattern deceptive in its simplicity and versatility. Over the past decade, the CDC & Elk has taken fish consistently across a multitude of waters and several continents. achieved by wrapping a Type 1 CDC feather around the hook shank. In this pattern, I combine the proven wing silhouette and buoyancy of Al Troth’s Elk Hair Caddis and the dubbed body look and straggling filaments, which suggest a multitude of components from sprawling insect legs, trailing nymphal shuck, crippled wings, etc. For me enticing fish to take a fly hinges on the concept of “triggers.” Offer a fish the appropriate positive triggers and it is more likely to think “food!”īased on this philosophy, I designed the CDC & Elk, which has become my staple dry fly, in 1992. play time, 12MB, Windows Media Player)Įvery fly fisherman has to believe in something. Step by step instructions for tying the CDC&Elk Video clip tying the CDC&Elk (4.54 min. (The materials are listed in the order they are tied in) Tiemco 102Y #11 - #17 (or equivalent dry fly hook)ĬDC feather (Type 1) (Description of the different Types of CDC feathers) Pattern: Hans Weilenmann, Fly and photograph: Hans Weilenmann
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