CDC MAYFLY NYMPH
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This fly is perfect for the Vaal and Smallmouth Yellows, as well as trout. It can be tied from #20 up to #10.
The CDC gives it a great life-like appearance in the water, trapping bubbles between its' fibres.
The bead head can also be left out. Experiment with various colours too.
MATERIALS:
HOOK: #20 to #10 Nymph hook, standard shank (Most popular sizes are 12, 14 & 16.)
BEAD: Brass, Gold or Tungsten (match bead size to hook size)
THREAD: 8/0 Rust, Black or Brown
RIB: Fine Copper Wire
ABDOMEN: Black Thread
TAIL: Coc-De-Leon feather fibres, approx. 10 to 20
THORAX: CDC Dubbing, Tan
WING CASE: Flash Sheet, colour is ginger or copper, cut to size (2mm strips, or to suit hook size)
STEP 1. De-Barb your hook, slip the bead on, and mount it in your vise.
Start your thread and take it to a point just before the hook point.
Step 2. Tie in about 10 - 20 Coc-De-Leon feather fibres to form the tail.
Secure the fibres and trim the excess.
Step 3. Tie in the strand of thin copper wire, and trim the excess.
Step 4. Build up a nice tapered body as shown, with the thread. Not all the way
to the front, about 3/4 the way up.
Step 5. Rib the copper wire forward in evenly spaced turns (about 8 wraps).
Secure it down and trim the excess.
Step 6. Cover the thread body and copper rib with superglue, or head cement. This secures
the rib and prevents it from breaking or unravelling.
Step 7. Cut a small piece of the flash sheer (about 2mm wide) to be used for the wingcase.
Step 8. Tie the strip of flash sheet in, about halfway on the body. Secure and trim the excess.
Step 9. Spin a thin noodle of CDC dubbing on the thread. Remember to roll only in one direction
with your thumb and forefinger. Don't put too much on at first. You can always add dubbing if need be.
Step 10. Form the thorax now by winding the dubbing loop around the hook shank, up to the
bead and to just behind the flash strip.
Step 11. Pull the wing case (flash strip) forward and secure it down just behind the bead-head.
Step 12. Secure the wingcase with a few tight wraps of thread, and trim the excess.
Apply a drop of had cement to the thread wraps. Be careful not to get any on the CDC feathers.
Step 13. Take your dubbing brush and brush the CDC thorax first backwards, and then forwards.
This loosens the fibers up and will give the material more motion.
Step 14. Now break the CDC fibers off the sides, to a length about the same as the abdomen.
Step 15. Turn the fly upside down, and cut the CDC flush with the fly and hook shank.
Be carefull not to cut the thread or go too deep, and ruin your fly.
The finished fly, from the side.
The finished fly, from the top.
This fly is excellent for Smallmouth Yellowfish and trout alike. These flies are highly effective whether you are Czech-nymphing or dead-drift fishing with an indicator, or
New Zealand style upstream nymphing. This fly is used as a point fly mostly, trailing behind a bigger weighted fly.
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HOOK: #20 to #10 Nymph hook, standard shank (Most popular sizes are 12, 14 & 16.)
BEAD: Brass, Gold or Tungsten (match bead size to hook size)
THREAD: 8/0 Rust, Black or Brown
RIB: Fine Copper Wire
ABDOMEN: Black Thread
TAIL: Coc-De-Leon feather fibres, approx. 10 to 20
THORAX: CDC Dubbing, Tan
WING CASE: Flash Sheet, colour is ginger or copper, cut to size (2mm strips, or to suit hook size)
TYING
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1. De-Barb your hook, slip the bead on, and mount it in your vise.
Start your thread and take it to a point just before the hook point.
Step 2. Tie in about 10 - 20 Coc-De-Leon feather fibres to form the tail.
Secure the fibres and trim the excess.
Step 3. Tie in the strand of thin copper wire, and trim the excess.
Step 4. Build up a nice tapered body as shown, with the thread. Not all the way
to the front, about 3/4 the way up.
Step 5. Rib the copper wire forward in evenly spaced turns (about 8 wraps).
Secure it down and trim the excess.
Step 6. Cover the thread body and copper rib with superglue, or head cement. This secures
the rib and prevents it from breaking or unravelling.
Step 7. Cut a small piece of the flash sheer (about 2mm wide) to be used for the wingcase.
Step 8. Tie the strip of flash sheet in, about halfway on the body. Secure and trim the excess.
Step 9. Spin a thin noodle of CDC dubbing on the thread. Remember to roll only in one direction
with your thumb and forefinger. Don't put too much on at first. You can always add dubbing if need be.
Step 10. Form the thorax now by winding the dubbing loop around the hook shank, up to the
bead and to just behind the flash strip.
Step 11. Pull the wing case (flash strip) forward and secure it down just behind the bead-head.
Step 12. Secure the wingcase with a few tight wraps of thread, and trim the excess.
Apply a drop of had cement to the thread wraps. Be careful not to get any on the CDC feathers.
Step 13. Take your dubbing brush and brush the CDC thorax first backwards, and then forwards.
This loosens the fibers up and will give the material more motion.
Step 14. Now break the CDC fibers off the sides, to a length about the same as the abdomen.
Step 15. Turn the fly upside down, and cut the CDC flush with the fly and hook shank.
Be carefull not to cut the thread or go too deep, and ruin your fly.
The finished fly, from the side.
The finished fly, from the top.
This fly is excellent for Smallmouth Yellowfish and trout alike. These flies are highly effective whether you are Czech-nymphing or dead-drift fishing with an indicator, or
New Zealand style upstream nymphing. This fly is used as a point fly mostly, trailing behind a bigger weighted fly.
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