In this week’s “How to Tie” video feature, Cheech from Fly Fish Food ties a caddis dry fly that will tempt even the finickiest of trout, the CDC Deer Hair Caddis.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Summer weather has reached nearly every part of the country and with that comes warmth, late nights, and big hatches. Caddis are one of those hatching bugs on every trout’s menu, regardless of the time of year. Catching a caddis hatch correctly may land you in a fog of fluttering insects, which trout aggressively hunting them down on the surface. This can make for some of the most exciting fishing of the year and the CDC Deer Hair Caddis will ensure you are prepared for this phenomenon.
Although caddis nymphs may be simple to tie, especially for beginners, their dry fly counterparts are not so much. Tying the CDC Deer Hair Caddis involves creating a hackle from deer hair in a dubbing loop, which is relatively tedious and frustrating for 90% of tyers. Patience and practice with this step will go a long way for this dry fly, but even if it comes out a bit ragged you can typically still fish it. If it floats and looks buggy, stick it in some foam for your next outing.
Blending dubbing can be difficult without a tool, but doing it by hand or with other household tools will get the job done and save money. Using this fly on a summer evening can produce fish in all size categories. Using natural materials allows for soft presentations to finicky trout that may see consistent pressure. Varying the size to match your specific waters caddis hatch is a very important tip before tying a batch. Enjoy evenings on the river this summer and do not forget to bring the CDC Deer Hair Caddis to produce some aggressive surface eaters.
Ingredients:
- Hook: TMC 100 Dry Fly Hook – 14 – 25 Pack
- Thread: 8/0 UNI-Thread Waxed Midge – Camel
- Dubbing 1: Natural Furs Dubbing – Gray Squirrel
- Dubbing 2 (Blended): Ice Dub – UV Lavender
- Wing: TroutHunter Premium CDC – Caddis Dun
- Hackle: Hackle – Brown
- Alternate Hook: TMC Tiemco 9300 Dry & Wet Hook – 14
- Alternate Hair: Nature’s Spirit X-Caddis Deer Hair – Brown
- Alternate CDC: Swiss CDC Super Select Grade – Khaki Campell
- Tools Used: Swiss CDC MultiClamp
Now you know how to tie the CDC Deer Hair Caddis!
Video and ingredients courtesy of Fly Fish Food.
