Bodkin / Patterns

CDC Sparkle

Dry Fly · Trout · Beginner · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook standard dry-fly hook (e.g. TMC 100 or Daiichi 1180), 12-20
  • Thread Olive, tan, or to match hatch 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Trailing shuck Zelon or sparkle yarn, amber/brown (small clump)
  • Wing CDC fibers, natural dun (fan wing) (1-2 feathers)
  • Body Superfine dry-fly dubbing, olive-brown/PMD/BWO (1 pinch)
  • Head Superfine dubbing to match body (trace)

How to tie it

  1. Tie in a short amber Zelon trailing shuck at the bend, about half a shank length, to imitate the emerging insect's shuck.
  2. Tie in a clump of CDC fibers at the 65% mark and stand them up, then fan them in a 180-degree half-circle over the top like a Comparadun wing. Why: the CDC wing replaces the stiff deer hair of a standard Sparkle Dun, floating just as well while breathing more.
  3. Dub a slim tapered body from the shuck up to the wing.
  4. Dub in front of and around the wing base to lock it upright, and whip finish behind the eye.

Tying videos

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