1. Slip on a countersunk tungsten bead to the hook. Black is preferred. Attach the hook to the vise. |
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2. Start the thread behind the bead and make smooth wraps back to the hook bend. |
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3. Select a Tapered Synthetic Quill. These are quite tapered and you can get a couple of flies from each piece. The one I am using is the second section which starts a little wide but it will work okay. |
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4. Attach the quill to the top of the hook shank and secure with smooth even thread wraps down to the bend of the hook. Build a slight taper with the thread up to the bead stopping about 1 eye length behind the bead. Wrap the quill forward with even segmented wraps and secure with three tight thread wraps behind the bead. |
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5. Trim off the tag end of the quill and coat the body with a thin UV Fly Finish. |
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6. Smooth out the finish with a bodkin. | ![]() |
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7. Cure the finish with a UV light. |
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8. Prepare the hackle for a dubbing loop. I'm using a Stonfo dubbing block, placing some strands of Silver Holo Ice dubbing onto the block at the second notch. |
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9. Selecting a CDC feather, remove the fluff from the base of the feather and preen the fibers so they stand out perpendicular to the CDC Quill. |
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10. Place the CDC Feather into the notch trapping the ice dubbing as well. |
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11. A clip is used to hold the fibers together and remove the hackle from the block. |
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12. With scissors, trim off the main stem of the quill, leaving just the fibers and dubbing strands. |
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13. Create a dubbing loop behind the bead. |
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14. Bring the clip to the dubbing loop, closing the loop with downward pressure on the dubbing spinner tool. |
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15. Spin the dubbing spinner tool to create a chenille of the CDC and Ice Dubbing. |
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16. Prior to wrapping the chenille around the hook, replace the spinner tool with a hackle plier. |
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17. Place about two wraps of the dubbed chenille behind the bead. This pattern works better with a small amount of material flowing from the bead. |
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18. Secure the chenille with a couple of tight thread wraps and clip off the excess chenille tag. |
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19 . Whip finish behind the bead but do not clip off the thread. |
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20. Apply some Superfine dubbing to the thread. |
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21. Wrap a small collar of Superfine dubbing behind the bead. |
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22. Apply a second Whip Finish. |
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23. The Finished Cosmic Caddis |
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