The pattern chosen for our PVFF Beginner’s Fly Tying session on April 16 is the CDC Caddis. Perhaps you do not know what the acronym CDC represents? CDC is the fly tier’s abbreviation for Cul de canard, which is French for “duck’s bottom.” It refers to the feathers found near the preen gland on the duck’s back. What’s special about these feathers is that CDC feathers contains hundreds of tiny “hook shaped” fibers, which increase the surface area of the feather and catch small air bubbles. In brief, the CDC body of this fly, along with the deer or elk hair wing, provides for a better drift of the fly in the surface film than a traditional Elk Hair Caddis.
Being April, there should be good caddis hatches on several of our nearby streams, as well as on the Gunpowder River, and on several western Maryland trout streams and rivers. During the early season, I love to fish the little black caddis hatch, alone or in combination with a caddis emerger dropper. These little black caddis flies are relatively small (sizes 14 and 16), in comparison to late season hatches on Western rivers; the Great Gray Spotted sedge would perhaps be tied on size 8-12 dry fly hooks.
Join our Beginner fly tying class on Tuesday, April 16, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 703 West Patrick Street, Frederick. As always, we welcome fly fishers who have never tied an artificial fly to join our Beginner fly tying classes. Equipment and materials are provided to both newcomers* and club members.
*If you plan to attend the April Beginner’s class and do not have your own basic equipment for fly tying, please let me know (301-371-5617) prior to the April 16th session, so that we can ensure that a tying vise and tools are available for you.
By Don Fine
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