I’ve been in love with CDC since the first times I got my hands on the “magic feathers” over the 30 years ago. The feathers versatility and great features, especially in dry flies is in my opinion unmatched in the actual ocean of materials accessible nowadays.
But through the years I’ve held many fly-tying classes and tied at many different events, and I’ve noticed that many fly tiers are almost a bit intimidated by CDC and miss a lot of its potential which I think is a big shame!
So therefore, I decided to make this hefty film where I go through some of the techniques in my quiver, I use the most in my day-to-day tying. The purpose of the film is not to cover specific patterns but rather show you some of the ways I use CDC that I’ve picked up through the years from excellent fly tyers from around the globe for you to adapt to your specific needs. But I’ve tried to cover the most common flies that should be relevant to most fly fishermen/women.
I hope this somehow sparks your interest in this fantastic material and its potential. If you wish to dig deeper in the subject, I recommend you check out the great work of Marc Petitjean or Leon Links. That will keep you busy for a while.

Rough list of materials and tools used in the film:
Hooks: Hanak 130BL Dry Fly, Hanak 230 Stillwater & Wet and Hanak 390BL Klinkhammer.
CDC: Fly-Dressing Premium CDC & Hand Selected Premium CDC.
Dubbing: Nature’s Spirit Beaver dubbing. Snowshoe Rabbit Foot dubbing, Hare’s Mask Dubbing and Ice Dub.
Threads: Textreme Standard 6/0 & 8/0 thread.
Indicator: Tiemco HiWiz yarn
Tails: Petitjean Pardo Coq De Lyon feathers
Tools: Petitjean Magic Tool Standard, Petitjean Thread Splitter & MP Twister.

Daniel's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antiallt/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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A little tricky to braid the marabou tail for this fly but it’s well worth the trouble. A very productive damsel imitation with great movement that will trick even picky trout into a take.

Hook : Partridge CS55 #8
Head : Magic head #2 (MH12)
Tread : Textreme Standard 8/0 Light olive
Eyes : Bead chain small, black.
Tail : Fish Hunter Blood Quill Marabou - FL. Damsel Nymph Olive (UV)
Legs : Round rubber green/black
Dubbing : Snowshoe rabbit foot dubbing light olive

If you’re interested in a career withing sport fishing and want to know more about the Sportfiske Akademin you can check
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/yrkeshogskolan-fiske-och-jaktguide/
or
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/sportfiskegymnasiet/

Cornelis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornelishollestein/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

74 4

Here it is, a very asked for patten based on the flies we fish with during the Flymaniac episode, if you haven’t seen it here is a link.
https://youtu.be/9deFdW4XAJ0?si=YfFitRgdKtX6HhlR

This is a patten that is designed to ride with the hook point up, for great hooking abilities and so it won’t snag on the bottom while dragging it their searching for some giant fish on the bottom floor.

Hook: Partridge Z60LTP 6/0
Tail: Dragon Tail XL – Fl. Pink, Fluorocarbon 0,50mm (33LB) Articulation Beads 3mm – Glow white, fastach size 0
Glue: Zap a gap brush on, Gulff Classic and Flexman
Thread: Power tread 100D -150D – White
Eyes: Stick-On Eyes 7,1 mm – Pearl
Tail: Bucktail - Fl. white, Flashabou Magnum – Opal, Pearl a glow – white, Extra Select Craft Fur -White
Wing: Bucktail - Fl. white, Fl. Cerise. Flashabou Magnum – Opal, Pearl a glow – white and pink, Extra Select Craft Fur - #52 Cerice, Lateral Scale Mirage small – pink, Mirage accent opal
Body: Mylar tube – Large silver, 2 x 2-4 gram split shot, 30-40 lb plastic coated wire
Head: Extra Select Craft Fur - #52 Cerice, Titan dubbing – fl. pink

Niklaus Instagram: / niklausbauer
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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This is a great little pattern for sea trout that can be fished both on it’s own or as a dropper. You can wary the colors to replicate everything from tiny fish babies to different kinds of shrimp. With that said, it seems as you never can go wrong with the color tied in the video.

Hook: Something like a Partridge Predator Wide Gape in size 6.
Thread: Power Thread 50 den.
Eyes: Bead Chain eyes small black.
Body: Baitfish dubbing Orange and Baitfish Supreme Salmon

Daniel's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antiallt/

This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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This is Paolo's favorite pattern for carp, the fly can imitate a variety of the carp's favorite food such as, crayfish, tadpoles or bodi, please tie it with slightly different weights on the dumbbell eyes so you have some options for different conditions.

Hook: Partridge Saltwater Curved Shank #4-6
Glue: Zap brush on, Gulff Thinman
Thread: Textreme Power thread 50D - Black
Eyes: Wapsi REEL-EYES X-small - Black
Tail: Double tails small Obsidian Black
Wing: Craft Fur - Black
Legs: Sili Legs - barred olive/green

Paolo's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ppacchiarini/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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Being able to see your dry fly on the water is often very important, here Joacim shows an easy and flexible way to make a smaller CDC fly become highly visible.

Hook : Tiemco 2488 14-22 or Partridge K2BY 14-18
Tread : Textreme powertread 10D Black
Ribbing : Utc wire XS-S in silver
Wing : Hand Selected Premium CDC - Brown, Tiemco HI-VIS DRY WING - Fl.Pink
Dubbing : Super fine in black

Joacim's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tostefar/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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Super bright and super deadly, especially when it's cold and clear and nothing else works. Whether your target is seatrout or brown trout, this simple but deadly pattern is one you should have in your box, especially in this color combination, and Perch love it too.

Hook options: Partridge CS54 #2 slow retrieve, cold water.
Partridge ACS/E #2-6 fast retrieve, warmer water.
Barbless Alternative Hanak H970B #6
Glue: Zap brush on, Gulff Thinman, Classic
Thread: Textreme Power thread 25-50D - White
Eyes: Stick-On Eyes 4,8 mm - Pearl
Tail: Lateral Scale Small– Mirage Opal
Wing: Wing´n Flash – Pearl, Fluo Orange
Head: Predatordubbing Pearl, Titan dubbing - Baitfish Blend

Fly Dressing pro tip: How to make perfect UV heads every time - Niklaus Bauer https://youtu.be/MPjD2angvws

Niklaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niklausbauer/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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Never go stillwater trout fishing without a few good imitations of a beetle in your boxes. This one is an easy to tie, life like pattern with the right “footprint” to get even vary bank feeders fooled.

Hook: Hanak H270 BL or Partridge Surehold Wet (SLD4) in size 12
Tread: Textreme Black 8/0 or Petitjean split tread black 8/0
Shell: Wapsi Loco Foam Peacock (W-PFL194) and Tiemco Hi-Vis dry wing Fl.pink
Body: Ice Dub Peacock Black (HL-ICE283)
Legs: Nature's spirit spinning deer hair black

Daniel's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antiallt/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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This tiny shrimp has been very successful for years now specially during early season on the Westcoast.

Hook : Partridge CS54 #8
Eyes : Bead chain small, black
Tread : Textreme powertread 50D White
Ribbing : 0,14 mono nylon
Body : 1 CDC feather white,
Head : Magic head #2 + 2 CDC Pink + SLF Prism 178 shrimp pink


If you’re interested in a career withing sport fishing and want to know more about the Sportfiske Akademin you can check
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/yrkeshogskolan-fiske-och-jaktguide/
or
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/sportfiskegymnasiet/

Cornelis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornelishollestein/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

61 3

A peaceful, calm evening in May. 
You spot a trout who feeds on the small insects by the lakeside. But what kind of insects? 
In situations like this I often try one of my favorite flies - Golden Adams. A slightly "glorified" version of the original pattern Adams Grey.  
Gently cast out the fly on the water surface, stay still, and wait for the fish. 

What I think is good about this pattern is that it can imitate a variety of insects. Which can be super helpful when you're not sure what kind of insects that is on the trout-menu for today. 

Hook: Tiemco T100 Dry Fly #14-18 or Partridge L5A Dry Fly #14-18
Barbless Alternative: Hanak H100BL
Thread: Textreme Standard 8/0 - Black
Tail: Golden Phesant tippet collar
Body: Super Fine Dry Dub #1 - Adams Grey
Ribbing: Textreme Standard 6/0 - Brown
Parachute: Premium CDC - White.
Hackle: Keough's Tyers Grade Cape - Brown and Grizzly.

Victorias Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyfisher_victoria/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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Your second pike fly!

Or just a great all-round pike catching pattern and color. Hit your vise and tie a bunch up.

Hook: Partridge CS 86 Universal Predator #4/0-6/0 and Intruder Z4 #1
Tail: Dragon Tail XL – Fl. Orange, Bauer pike wire, Titanium, Articulation Beads 3mm - Fluo Salmon Red, fastach size 0
Glue: Zap a gap brush on, Gulff Thinman and Flexman
Thread: Power tread 100D -150D – White
Eyes: Stick-On Eyes 7,1 mm – Fl. Red
Tail: Bucktail - Fl. Yellow, Flashabou Magnum – Gold, Flashabou Mirage – orange, Polarflash - Gold
Wing: Bucktail - Fluo fire orange, Flashabou Magnum – Gold, Flashabou Mirage – orange, Polarflash - Gold
Body: Palmer Chenille, Medium Fl. Fire Orange
Head: Extra Select Craft Fur - #118 Fiery Hot Red


The Bauer pike rig for Tails. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdElWXvrMrE&pp=ygUSdGhlIGJhdWVyIHBpa2Ugcmln

Niklaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niklausbauer/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

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A favorite pattern of mine and a must-have fly for seatrout fishing.
I prefer to fish big Wooly Buggers. The WB can imitate a lot of things that are on the seatrout’s menu, stickleback, Shrimp, worm, etc.
An important point is that I always glue the tail of my WB at the hook bend to avoid the tail hanging. I like to fish the fly unweighted.
When I fish for seatrout with this fly I use Slow Mo – Fast Intermediate line.


Hook: Partridge Attitude streamer Size 1-2 or Salmon / Steelhead shrimp in size 1-4
Barbless Alternative Hanak H970B #6
Tread: Textreme powertread 50D
Glue: Zap brush on,
Ribbing: 0,18 mono nylon
Hackel: Hareline Saltwater Neck Hackle
Dubbing: Nature Spirit Fish Hunter Marabou in color: 069 FL. Baby Shrimp
(Tear the material so it´s like dubbing!)
Tail: Nature Spirit Fish Hunter Marabou in color: 069 FL. Baby Shrimp
Sideline: Lateral Scale Mirage Small in pink

Charlies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hall.charlie/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

97 5

A favorite pattern for sea trout fishing but it works equally well for perch and other predators. I use Sculpting Flash Fiber for flies up to 10 cm. The fly moves side to side in the water, and I like to fish the fly aggressively. The fly also works well drifting in the waves to imitate a dead stickleback! When fishing for sea trout with this fly I use Slow mo – inter / S3 line.

Tread: Textreme powertread 50D
Hook options: Tiemco 811S size 4-6, Partridge Attitude Extra in size 1/0-2 Barbless Alternative Hanak H970B #2-6
Weight: 2-6 turns lead/leadfree wire 0.20
Eyes: 4-6 mm stick on eyes in Pearl
Body: Sculpting flash fibre in color Livebait and Natural belly
Flash: Mobile flash in Pearl.
Other: Black waterproof pen



Charlies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hall.charlie/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

129 6

A few years ago, I discovered that orange flies were absolutely outstanding for sea trout in the fall, and the colder the water got, the better the orange flies got. In the fall of 2022, I started experimenting with fairly large flashtail flies with a fluorescent orange front body and here you have the result, my absolute favorite baitfish pattern for fall and winter trout. Don't be afraid to tie it up to 12-13cm in size.

Hook options: Partridge CS54 #2 slow retrieve, cold water.
Partridge ACS/E #2-6 fast retrieve, warmer water.
Barbless Alternative Hanak H970B #6
Glue: Zap brush on, Gulff Thinman, Classic
Thread: Textreme Power thread 25-50D - White
Eyes: Stick-On Eyes 4,8 mm - Pearl
Tail: Lateral Scale Small– Mirage Opal, Flashabou Mirage – orange, Polarflash - Gold
Wing: Bucktail - Fluo fire orange, Craft fur - Fiery hot red
Head: Predator Dubbing - Nightmare before X-mas

Fly Dressing pro tip: How to make perfect UV heads every time - Niklaus Bauer https://youtu.be/MPjD2angvws

Niklaus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niklausbauer/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

285 51

A few years back I was confronted with the problem that “large-foam body-big-wing-mayflies” used for grayling during drake hatches didn’t bring home the bacon. Take after takes was missed for days on end. The solution and the hook-ups came with this ever floating soft body Vulgata emerger

Hook : Partridge K14A, Tiemco 212TR, barbless alternative Hanak H530BL
Tread : Textreme 8/0 Light brown
Body : Suede chenille Light brown
Wing : Foam cylinder 4mm White
Thorax : Hare’s ear dubbing

Cornelis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornelishollestein/
This video is produced by Robert Hansson

If you’re interested in a career withing sport fishing and want to know more about the Sportfiske Akademin you can check
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/yrkeshogskolan-fiske-och-jaktguide/
or
https://www.forshagaakademin.se/sportfiskegymnasiet/

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