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Welcome Jeff D, you have come to the correct venue for some help. It is a very good question because CDC has some unique properties. If you could be more specific about what application you are going to make of it, many experts can chime in. For instance if you need to create a parachute post, there are a number of synthetic and organic materials that you might substitute such as macramé (polyolefin) yarns, other poly yarns, perhaps some deer or calf hair.

 

What pattern are you trying to complete? Many will be glad to help out....

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Well i would like to tie a Quil Body CDC Mayfly Emerger. I seems like it would be a deadly fly because of the life stage it imitates. I do have calf tail that would work for the parachute post but, my problem is the CDC thats fold over the body. Thank you for your help.

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Snowshoe rabbit foot fur can be used as a substitute for CDC in some flies. Here is your "Quill Body CDC Mayfly Emerger" fly.

 

23a9f68d3f2d340d97200c23a475090c.jpg

 

 

Here is a snowshoe rabbit foot emerger below. Since you don't have CDC, substitute PT fibers for the CDC thorax pullover and use a smaller amount of snowshoe fur on the CDC fly above and it will be close enough. Of course you need Snowshoe Rabbit Feet!!!

 

IMGP5828.jpg

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If you have a Chickabou pelt (chicken marabou) it makes a good sub for CDC if you TREAT it with a silicone spray like Scotch Guard or Kiwi Kamp Dry Just "hose down" the pelt with spray and hang it up to dry for a day or two. Fluff the dry pelt up before using it. Take care & ...

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Snowshoe rabbit foot fur can be used as a substitute for CDC in some flies. Here is your "Quill Body CDC Mayfly Emerger" fly.

 

23a9f68d3f2d340d97200c23a475090c.jpg

 

 

Here is a snowshoe rabbit foot emerger below. Since you don't have CDC, substitute PT fibers for the CDC thorax pullover and use a smaller amount of snowshoe fur on the CDC fly above and it will be close enough. Of course you need Snowshoe Rabbit Feet!!!

 

IMGP5828.jpg

 

BY the way , Silver, have you ever used the snowshoe underfur for, emerger dries, etc.? I find it floats flies really well.

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Yep, chickaboo will work. I tried it a couple years ago. You can treat it with the Bergman formula or Rustoleum Neverwet for fabrics. It is the single step formula that comes in a blue spray bottle. I treat the chickaboo after the fly is tied. All those fine fuzzy barbules give a lot of surface area like CDC. You do have to fluff it after treating it.

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Hi guys. New to this forum, have been tying about 2 years. I think of myself as a newbie. Just received turkey preen feathers. I had requested duck from my dentist, a duck & turkey hunter.

 

Question: Can I use the turkey preen in place of CDC? I know the fly makes a difference. Yet, has anyone done so successfully? Which flies.

 

I am a bream fisher and tie mostly cork poppers. I whittle/sand the cork down to various sizes. My pic are on my iPhone. Will start producing iPad pic for display. Mississippi has great bream beds. Too, I recently tied dry flies wanting to try them on the still waters.

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You can use anything in place of anything. Of course, CDC has a unique texture and oil. Turkey preen may be similar but may not have the floatation. The only thing I would worry about is if the turkey preen feathers would soak much water and ruin your float. Bottom line is that it will be buggy and your bream should like it. I used to use cork over the beds for bluegill in Nebraska and Minnesota but I switched to foam spiders and then for the last 10-15 years to standard dry flies like elk or moose (often with CDC) caddis patterns and midge clusters that float really well.

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