CDC Loop Wing Emerger | 2 Fly Box Challenge Continued
(click on any image including video below for magnification)
The CDC Loop Wing Emerger on the Hanak 300 BL is a deadly combo for your summer fly box. Lets talk a little about the hook selection since this is often overlooked in many videos and articles on the topic of emergers. The geometry of this particular hook lends itself perfectly to this pattern. A wide gap, an extra elongated point, and a precise bend give this hook an overall appearance like it was designed by Fibonacci himself. There is a great deal of design time and thoughtfulness that went into this hook and being a designer by trade myself I give it 3 Michelin Stars. When coupled with the selected materials, as seen in the above photo of my version of this fly, there is a visual cadence that well...just seems right to me. Using teal as a tail along with a natural stripped peacock quill body seems to sing on the same song sheet for me. Working our way forward, we tie in two CDC feathers to create the loop wing. Then the fun begins with the thorax, this is where a little creativity pays big dividends.
So using muskrat fur, beaver, squirrel, and coastal deer hair tips we can create what I call “dubbing loop soup” a phrase I coined doing a demo several years ago. Be mindful that this is a #16 hook and not a streamer that looks like your mom's centerpiece on Thanksgiving day. A small segment of loop, only one inch or less is all that it takes. Before we finish the head a small amount of beaver is then dubbed just ahead of the tie in point of the CDC, just before the hook eye. This is a relatively simple fly to tie and honestly the tricky part for me is getting your two CDC feathers in-line and not slipping left or right of center. Taking your time to get your CDC loop proportioned to your hook size makes all the difference and I'm kind of picky with my loop sizes, but thats my problem nobody else's.
Many of my fellow fly tyers all have versions of this fly that gets used quite a bit throughout the season. The one critical aspect of this pattern for me is the thorax and getting it right. I suppose what I'm getting at is the thorax is going to give you additional flotation, the guard hairs and coastal deer hair tips create little outriggers on either side and get this fly to sit true every time. Knowing my flys function properly allows me to sleep at night.
CB's CDC Loop Wing Emerger
Hook: Hanak 300 BL #16
Thread: UTC Ultra 70 Dun
Tail: Teal Fibers
Body: Stripped Peacock Natural
Wing: Premium CDC (two stacked feathers)
Thorax: Muskrat, Beaver Belly, Squirrel, and coastal deer hair tips
