Problem with CDC and Elk caddis

[jdaddy]

So, I am tying up the grannom life cycle and tied up a bunch of CDC and elk using black CDC and dark dun elk hair. I was concerned about the volume of CDC and how the fly would ride on the surface. So I threw a few of them in a glass of water and they all landed on their heads. Do I need to trim the CDC flush and parallel to the shank of the hook to get it to ride correctly?

 

[Heritage-Angler]

You using the whole feather? It might be too big for that size fly. A good size would be about an inch long.

If you're using a bigger feather, don't use the whole thing - just tie it off when you reach the hair tie in point, and clip the excess.

Hope you're not using that Pettitjean stuff - it sucks for that fly. Believe it or not, Hook & Hackle has the best dyed black cdc I've seen (Trouthunter is a close second).

Sparse is best for the cdc/elk.

 

[jdaddy]

Using trouthunter and ya, using too much feather. Hate to trim it down but guess I am going to have to do that. Glad I churned out 12 of them last night. LOL.

Thanks.

 

[tennjed]

Once the cdc gets wet it should land / float fine. The should hold the back end of the fly down in the meniscus. Only give the wing a good coating of floatant (gink or whatever liquid you use).
The cdc in that pattern is used in manner similar to the antron sparkle yarn "gas bubble" in a Gary LaF. sparkle pupae.

 

[jayL]

Just gave mine a test float, and they almost all at least tilted forward. Some of them were outright riding nose down.

I am nearly positive that this is not an issue when they are tied on tippet and presented. If so, the fish have never seemed to mind. As stated above, when they get wet, they also seem to right themselves a bit.