This fly requires a hook that has a longer shank. It's not tied on a dry fly hook either.
Step 1.
Start the thread in the middle and wind back almost to the bend. Measure the tail to be twice the length of the hook shank. I use about five individual fibers for the tail. Tie in the tail and wind back up about ¾ to tie the wing.
When selecting the right CDC, it needs to be the longer ones out of the bunch. This fly will be tied with a total of four cal-de-canard.
Step 2.
After you select four that are the same length. Cut the tips out of all four. Make sure you only cut the stem and not the CDC. You’ll need the CDC hanging off the front to form the wing.
Step 3.
Match all four together. Make sure the stems are matched up perfectly, especially at the tips where you cut them. Stroke all the fibers forward and tied it in somewhere in the middle with two turns of thread just to secure it on the shank. Also make sure it’s tied in concave where the dull side if facing up.
Step 4.
After you tied them in you’re going to slide back until you feel the thread drops off the stem and the loose CDC is on the hook shank. Make a few more turns securing the wing from shifting.
Step 5.
Notice where the wing is tied in. this is crucial because you’ll crowd the eye if the wing is tied up any further. Once you’ve tied then wind in, lift up and tie right in front of it, but not on it. You only want to push the wing up.
Step 6.
Now split the CDC into two equal parts to form the wing. It will not stay that way, but at least you’ll get the idea so when you pull over the CDC you’ll know where the middle is to keep the wing separated once you do form it.
Step 7.
Now this can be tricky at first, but once you get it, it’s cake walk. The first CDC is going to be pulled over the top going towards the eye splitting the wing into two halves. When doing this you’ll need to pull back the wing to keep it from being tied down and also keeping it separated. So fold over the first strand of CDC and then pull back the wing and tie down the CDC that came in between the wing. Tie it down right in front of the wing and not close to the eye.
Notice how I tied it down in the picture.
Step 8.
Fold the next one over the same way and tie it down. So now two are folded over the top to form the wing.
Step 9.
Now the next two will go underneath the wing, but not under the hook shank. Before pulling them forward stroke the wing upwards so you don’t grab any of the CDC. After pulling them forward tie them in right in front of the wing. And remember not to go thread happy.
Step 10.
Now take the thread and go under the wing to get it back to the bend of the hook again.
Step 11.
I can't really do this step so you can see I jumped a few steps. I’ll try to explain them the best I can. Now the thread should be in the back. The two that went on the sides of the hook shank are going to be pulled back along with one of the ones you put in the middle of the wing. That is a total of three out of the four strands of CDC. Once you have them all back pulled together you’re going to tie them down. Make about three turns to secure them and wind the thread forward making even spaces to form a segmentation.
Step 12.
You’ll also need to be in front of the wing so advance the thread over the wing and not under it so you don’t see the thread wrap on the underside.
Step 13.
Now the last one that is the first one you folded over to make the wing will be the legs. Grab a comb that has small grooves. Start the comb right in front of the eye and brush out. That will take the lose strands off the stem. Once you accomplished that you can cut the stem off and the loose CDC fibers will still be tied in.
Step 14.
Stroke the fibers down and split them evenly in between the eye and tie them down. You’ll need to force them down before tying them in. Whip finish the fly and that's it!!
