Cul De Canard is one of those natural materials like very few others–thanks to the duck’s preen oil, it is naturally buoyant and repels water, making it float incredibly well, while also adding a lifelike look to just about any fly you’re tying. Hareline’s CDC Cul De Canard CDC Feathers provide you with a high-quality selection of full-size CDC feathers available in a ton of different colors. A versatile feather at the vise, these CDC Feathers have you covered whether you’re tying up a classic CDC and Elk, an emerger, or a box terrestrials. One of those staple materials that has a ton of different uses, these quality CDC feathers should have a spot in everyone’s tying arsenal.
Uses
Few materials are as versatile as CDC. With these feathers, you can tie wings on emergers, dry flies, terrestrials, and even spinners, but you can also strip the fibers off of the stem and work them into a dubbing loop, use the feathers to wrap naturally buoyant bodies, and you can even use CDC to tie nymphs that, when in the water, have a great trapped air effect.
Comparisons
CDC is a very unique material and there really isn’t anything else out there like it. If you’re looking to tie smaller flies and need a smaller feather, then Hareline’s CDC Oiler Puffs are an excellent choice. However, if you’re really in a pinch and need something else, Polypropylene Floating Yarn has a somewhat similar look and degree of buoyancy, but it can’t be used in nearly as many ways as CDC Feathers can.
Example Flies
The CDC and Elk hair caddis is a very common pattern that utilizes CDC.