Three steps to keep your CDC dry flies floating

For a long time, I avoided using CDC dry flies. After catching fish on them their fibers would clump together and I didn't have a process for reviving them again. After figuring out a process for getting CDC flies to float again, they have now become a major part of my dry fly arsenal on the water. If you follow the three step process in this video, you can also get your CDC flies to keep floating fish after fish. Thanks to my friends Pablo Castro Pinos and Lance Egan for the tweaks I've added to this method.
You can purchase the products in the video in our store at the links below.
tacticalflyfisher.com/product...
tacticalflyfisher.com/product...

[@coreystoner4129]

The rubber band trick was shown to me years ago from one of the youth members of the Poland of Czech team. Works very well

[@alistaircorbishley5881]

Big advocate of Loon Top Ride, used it for a couple of seasons now but never tried applyit with my fingers. Several fishers in my local club swear by the elastic (laggy) band method to get the water off, but I use a brush left over from a bottle of Orvis desiccant.

[@rd2957]

The finget tip is excellent.ivr been using cdc for a few seasons and this is going to make it sooooo much better.
Thank you very much!

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Thanks! I’m sure you’ll be able to keep your cdc flies going strong with this process. Happy fishing!

[@scottmacdonald9269]

Always great info. Thanks for the tip with the life flex. Going to try it tomorrow on the Kings!

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

Have fun on the water!

[@kylehorvath6649]

Wish I had these techniques under my belt last weekend when I was flicking dries under a culvert for browns behind my AirBnB.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

There’s always next time Sierra wild man.

[@Asturiano726]

Es mejor un pequeño pincel 🖌️ o brochita. 👌👌

[@blueridgeflyguy9551]

Devin, what is that little red fly box on top of your Umpqua chest pack

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

It’s a Fulling Mill chest patch. They are supposed to be available soon so we should have them in the store shortly.

[@blueridgeflyguy9551]

@@tacticalflyfisher3817 you can go ahead and put me down for two of those

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

@@blueridgeflyguy9551 they are really nice. I know you’ll like them.

[@aa-ron.]

What is the name of the rubber band material you are using and where would one get it from? I think you were saying live flex?

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

There is a link in the video description. It’s Hareline Life Flex. tacticalflyfisher.com/products/hareline-life-flex-leg-and-body-material-lfx?_pos=1&_psq=life+flex&_ss=e&_v=1.0

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

@@privateaccount8027 yes. It’s the same type of spandex based material.

[@joemalone5819]

is there a reason you use your finger instead of a brush for the powder?

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

I used to use a brush before my friend Pablo showed me the finger in the Top Ride trick. Here are the reasons I ditched it. Some brushes don't hold powder very well. Others do but then grab a lot more powder than is typically need. Lastly, even when the brush works, it tends to take a lot longer to work the powder into the fibers and split them apart. The finger is generally much better at forcing the fibers to split apart and at working the desiccant thoroughly into the fibers.

[@ethancampbell7273]

Kind of a late comment but what are some of your favorite cdc/competition-style dry flies? As I have gotten into competitive fly fishing I need to improve my dry selection and would really appreciate your input.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

There are a billion options out there and most are good. I tend to use Spanish split wing style flies a lot.

[@jaked6474]

Do you pre treat your CDC dry flies with anything? Thanks.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

I've tried various pretreatments but none of them seem to help much after a few fish.

[@mdekelver1]

I have tried Lochsa, but just the smallest amount on your fingers. Unsure if it makes a difference.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

@@mdekelver1 while Loon says Lochsa works on CDC, my experience is still that gel floatants end up clumping CDC fibers together and not improving floatation. Gels work well for other dry flies but I tend to not use them on CDC.

[@damonm7541]

Same results here with Lochsa. Not recommended.

[@4stringmanagmaildcom]

I've been fly fishing for 50 years. What's CDC? Never heard the term. The rubber band trick is useful. Thanks.

[@tacticalflyfisher3817]

It’s a pretty ubiquitous acronym in fly tying for cul de canard or butt of the duck. It’s a section of feathers that surrounds the preening gland on a duck that is very useful for dry fly wings and soft hackles.