Dusk Black CDC Caddis Emerger
by @dekasso
CDC Caddis Emerger · Wet fly
A dark shape rising through evening water
A slim black CDC caddis emerger on a size 14 hook, with a silver wire rib and soft black hackle, for trout taking caddis in the film.
A dark caddis emerger with a slim curved body, a smoky swept-back wing and a sparse collar of soft fibres. It is tied in black thread and black CDC, with a fine silver wire rib banding the body.
- Pattern
- CDC Caddis Emerger
- Imitates
- Dark caddis emergence
- When
- typically spring and early-summer evenings
- Hook
- size 14
- Tippet
- 5Xrule of three
- Size 14 emerger hook
- Silver wire rib over black thread
- Black CDC wing traps tiny air bubbles
- Soft black hen hackle collar
- Fishes in the film or swung
On the water
Black from tail to head. A thin silver wire wraps the curved thread body in neat bands, and a plume of black CDC sweeps back past the bend. A few long, soft hackle fibres splay out underneath like legs still kicking free.
Fish it when caddis start popping off riffles and runs near dusk. Swing it across and down, let it rise at the end of the drift, or dress the wing lightly and let it hang in the film. Small twitches make the CDC breathe.
Black CDC needs a light touch. Tie in a small bunch, keep it sparse, and never douse it in liquid floatant; the fibres should stay soft and full of air.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 5Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Use 5X or 6X tippet to let the fly sit and move naturally.
- Swing it down and across, then let it lift at the end of the drift.
- For film fishing, treat the wing with a dry powder only.
Where and when
- Hatch
- Dark caddis emergencetypically spring and early-summer evenings
- Target
- Trout
- Water type
- Riffles, runs and slick tailouts
- Also fishes
- Also works on stillwater edges during evening caddis activity and in slow pools under overcast skies.
Make it yourself
Intermediate5 materials · 10 steps
- Pattern
- CDC Caddis Emerger
- Style
- Wet fly
- Hook
- Emerger hooksize 14
- Thread
- Black 8/0
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- RibSilver fine wire
- BodyBlack thread
- WingBlack CDC
- HackleBlack hen
- HeadBlack thread
Details
- Imitates
- Caddisfly
- Colors
- Black, Silver, Dark grey
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (10)
- Mount the hook in the vise and start the black thread one eye-length behind the eye.
- Wrap a thin, even thread base back to the start of the bend.
- Tie in the silver fine wire at the bend and bind it along the shank.
- Build a slim, tapered black thread body forward to about 70 percent of the shank.
- Wind the wire forward in five or six evenly spaced open turns, tie off and trim.
- Tie in a small bunch of black CDC on top, reaching just past the hook bend.
- Trim the CDC butts and cover them with a few neat thread wraps.
- Tie in a black hen feather by the tip and take two sparse turns in front of the wing.
- Tie off the hackle, trim the waste and sweep the fibres back.
- Form a small, tidy black thread head, whip finish and trim.
Proportions (4)
- Body: slim and tapered, covering the rear 70 percent of the shank.
- Wing: CDC tips reach just past the hook bend.
- Hackle: fibres about one and a half times the hook gap, sloping back toward the point.
- Rib: five or six evenly spaced turns.
Tips (4)
- Keep the thread flat while building the body so the taper stays smooth.
- Wind the wire opposite to the body thread to lock it in place.
- Stroke the CDC back before tying in so the fibres sit together.
- Two turns of hen hackle are enough; sparse moves better in current.
Common mistakes (4)
- Bulky body: use fewer thread layers and keep the taper thin.
- Crowded eye: leave room behind the eye before adding the wing and hackle.
- Overdressed CDC wing: one small bunch is plenty.
- Uneven rib: mark spacing with your eye before the first turn.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 14 · Materials only · 12 flies
$37.55
$3.13 a fly
Includes Emerger hook · and 6 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$6.50
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$2.95
- Silver fine wire$3.25
Materials
- Black CDC$6.95
- Black hen$11.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 14 · Materials only · 48 flies
$72.01
$1.50 a fly
Bought separately $75.80 · you save $3.79
Includes Emerger hook · and 6 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$13
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$8.85
- Silver fine wire$3.25
Materials
- Black CDC$20.85
- Black hen$23.90
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 14 · Materials only · 144 flies
$180
$1.25 a fly
Bought separately $204.55 · you save $24.55
Includes Emerger hook · and 6 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$35
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$26.55
- Silver fine wire$9.75
Materials
- Black CDC$55.60
- Black hen$71.70
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 14 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$187.55
$15.63 a fly
Includes Emerger hook · and 15 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$6.50
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$2.95
- Silver fine wire$3.25
Materials
- Black CDC$6.95
- Black hen$11.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 14 · With vise & tools · 48 flies
$214.51
$4.47 a fly
Bought separately $225.80 · you save $11.29
Includes Emerger hook · and 15 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$13
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$8.85
- Silver fine wire$3.25
Materials
- Black CDC$20.85
- Black hen$23.90
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 14 · With vise & tools · 144 flies
$312
$2.17 a fly
Bought separately $354.55 · you save $42.55
Includes Emerger hook · and 15 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Emerger hook$35
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$26.55
- Silver fine wire$9.75
Materials
- Black CDC$55.60
- Black hen$71.70
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
The creator
How it was made
1 iteration led here; the saved one is marked
1 Saved
Remixes
2 steps back
- Smoke Wing Thread Body Caddis@dekasso · the original
- Dusk Black CDC Caddis Emergeryou are here
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
“shift the colors from brown to black”
fly pattern · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- black
- caddis
- emerger
- cdc
- wire rib
- soft hackle
- trout
- wet fly
- evening hatch