CDC Pheasant Tail SBS

Last month Blake showed us how to tie up the Chubby Chernobyl, this month he gives us a good fly to hang off the back of that big honkin’ floater. Just in time for the season opener in Georgia I might add. A pheasant tail by itself is one of those flies that works on any trout stream in the world. Adding CDC to it is like putting ice cream on apple pie – it just makes sense.

Materials:

–          Bead to fit hook

–          Lead

–          Pheasant tail fibers

–          Flash

–          Wire

–          Peacock

–          CDC

1. I like to use a 2x long nymph hook when using beads to account for the bead. Choose the size bead you want and slide it on to the hook. I also like to put some lead on the shank to keep the bead in place and add a little weight to get the fly down to where the fish are. The more weight that I have in the fly (while still making it look normal), the less shot that I have to add to the line.

2. Cover the shank with thread. Make sure that you have a nice taper.

3. Tie in the pheasant tail fibers. I like to use a few extra fibers for a thicker tail.

4. Tie in the wire rib. I used a copper bead and copper rib also

5. Wrap pheasant tail 2/3 of the shank length. I wrap the pheasant tail the opposite direction that I normally wrap materials so that the rib will be counter wrapped.

6. Counter wrap the rib.

7. Tie in a few pieces of krystal flash.

8. Then tie in some pheasant tail fibers.

9. Tie in peacock and palmer to the back of the bead.

10. Pull over the pheasant tail and tie in. Then pull over the flash and tie in. The flash is subtle, but it’s there.

11. Last step is to make a loop, add just enough CDC fibers to make one full wrap around the fly. I don’t like a giant amount of CDC on there, just enough to give the hint of legs. Tie in loop and whip finish your thread.

Finished fly, enjoy!