Duck Legs

[KevCompton 0]

Duck Legs

 

Hook: Grip Hooks 14723BL #8-16.

Thread: Giorgio Benecchi 12/0 Blue Dun.

Tails & Antennae: Partridge Breast (Gray) Feather Fibers.

Ribbing: 4X Monofilament.

Shellback: Clear Flexi-Body Vinyl Sheeting.

Body: Blend of Rabbit Fur, Antron, and Red Lite-Brite Dubbing.

Legs: Natural Dun CDC Fibers.

 

[oatka 0]

Kevin - I enjoy all your flies, and this one is right up there with the rest!

 

catch any on this pattern yet?

[Redwings1 0]

Another good one Kevin. For the CDC are you palmering it through, spun on with dubbing, pulled across the top...?

[Soft-hackle 0]

:thumbup:

This is a real winner! Love the Grip hooks!

 

Mark

[KevCompton 0]

Thanks, oatka. I have not yet fished this hook with this style of fly.

 

Mike, this shrimp is a similar tie to Oliver Edwards' Freshwater Shrimp (see his FlyTyers Masterclass). Instead of spinning the tips of gray partridge feathers for the legs, as Edwards does, I have spun a dubbing loop of CDC fibers and have wrapped it over the dubbed body; then stroke down all the fibers, pull the shellback over the shrimp, and segment the body with the mono. After tying in the tails, shellback, and mono, I make a dubbing loop, hold it out of the way for the moment, dub the body forward with the working thread; then spin the loop of CDC fibers and wrap that loop forward to the eye and tie down with the working thread which is now at the head of the fly.

 

Kevin

[Firetiger 0]

Kevin, I like the idea of using CDC instead of partridge. It is much more flexible, and adds great movement to the fly!

[KevCompton 0]

Also on that note, Firetiger, the CDC adds more translucency than partridge to the legs of the pattern. Freshwater shrimps are typically darker on their backsides and lighter, more translucent on the their undersides and legs. But you're right, the chief aim was lifelike movement in the water.

 

Kevin

 

[DHise 0]

Wow. that's a tailwater and spring creek killer

[smallieFanatic 0]

wow i like :yahoo:

[2bonthewater 0]

KC.....being one who really doesn't use CDC......will the fly sink or hover in the water column??? I guess adding a few turns of lead would offset any floatation efforts by the cdc.......I would think the CDC would trap air bubbles and make that fly look even more impressive underwater !!! great looking fly........

[KevCompton 0]

Hi 2bonthewater,

 

Thanks for the comments and question.

 

The fly sinks -- and is meant to sink. I'd forgotten to mention in the pattern recipe that I do, in fact, use flat lead wire on this fly. You can see where the body thickens in the middle and this is where most of the lead was wrapped. I try to taper both ends of the lead wraps towards the tails and the antennae -- forming what Oliver Edwards calls a "banana-shaped underbody".

 

CDC can do much more than float flies; it adds marabou-like movement, translucency, and perhaps, even bubbles as you suggest.

 

This Grip Hook (14723BL) is a very versatile hook. It seems to work well for scuds, shrimps, caddis larvae (including Czech Nymphs), and emergers of all kinds -- both mayflies & caddisflies.

 

Thanks again,

Kevin

[2bonthewater 0]

thanks big dude.............

[smalltownfisherman 0]

Very good pattern. Very realistic.

[willhunsaker 0]

yea i like the over all look of it

[Horseshoes 0]

CDC heard it. What exactly is CDC. Having a hard time finding out. Even a picture of it. Bells..I could have it and not know. Anyone want to clue me in?