Bubble CDC Suspender Olive Midge

This
is a favorite creation of mine (1990) for care-free days on the lake from April
to September.

Note:
Pay attention to the Rayon fibers. When they are cut in 1 cm length and compound
with the antron, and softly dubbed while wet, gives the creation of an
"alive" transparency which is needed for a good imitation of Midge
pupas.

The
CDC material used for the respiratory filaments, and the manner of tying, should
make the midge unsinkable. By the reason of floatability you needn't use
additionally floatants.

The
correct position of the midge, as it falls on the water, should be floating and
give a glassy silhouette. This is obtained through good visibility of white duck
CDC feather.

Midges
are for selective fly-fishing, when the midge pupas are helpless under the
surface of the water. The feather by using the "loop method" is a
"gentle" solution. You should now be prepared to understand this
important characteristic.

Cul
de Canard

I discovered the use of
cul de canard (CDC) feathers for tying flies while fishing
the River Krka of Dalmatia in 1964.  The CDC was tied in a local
pattern called Supljak, which translated means "Duck Cloaca," the
vicinity of a duck where the feather grows.  Since that time, I have
treasured my fly models as "secrete weapons" and have worked to
improved them, sometimes with more and sometimes with less enthusiasm. 
They have undergone certain changes while seeking perfection but I do not think
I have reached that point, yet.

I
researched in an attempt to discover when CDC was first used for flies in my
country but even the oldest
generations of fly anglers couldn't remember it's discovery.  It
was before their time.  

A
few models of my creative fly models were displayed at a 1987 show in Ljubljana. 
Dr Voljc was there and only examined them superficially.  He only commented that they were
"interesting."  I then sent him some more models and requested he test
them while fishing the Thymallus, where I lacked experience.  I
respect Dr. Voljc's opinion and was hoping for his approval.  He made ordinary comments
but the praise came in March 1989, when
he published an article about them in his magazine, Ribic.  My
"secrete weapons" were no longer secrete. 

Scroll
down for Instructions.

This
is a method rather than a pattern, so select the materials you desire.

"CAPTURED"
BUBBLE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM

Look
at the picture above and you will see several unusual things that are needed to
tie my midges, imitating pupas under the water's
surface.  

There
are some bent hooks, white duck CDC feathers, and a piece of plastic pipe
(tubes).  You can use an electric wire isolator and a polished wooden
dowel.  It is also important to choose feathers with a strong stem. 

The
CDC loop, that "captures" a good bubble of air, is made with the help of
the plastic tube and wooden dowel.  This solves the problem of proper floating
position of
midges.  The "Suspender Loop Midge Pupa" can float several
days and maintain the characteristic of a natural's position.

INSTRUCTIONS

Start
at the eye of hook and build the shape of the head with thread (as shown).  It must be big enough to be able
to separate the CDC feather from the shank. See picture at right.

Then,
pull a good quality CDC feather through the plastics tube, extending about 1 cm
to tie to hook.  Secure its convex part downward (pictured at left) on the
built up thread. 

Then
tie the desired tag, rib, body, etc., as desired.  I have used my favorite
material in describing this tying step.

I
must underline that the body and thorax material should be as soft as possible.

Do
the "Loop Method" with a piece of wooded dowel as
mentioned before.  It's maximum diameter depends on the size of hook. 
For the size of 10 it's from 5 to 5.5 mm., for 12 it is 4 to 4.5 mm., 14 needs
3.5 mm., 16 needs 3 mm. 18 needs 2 mm., and for 20 it is 1,5 mm.

Tying
a good loop is a delicate procedure.  Hold a small piece of wooden dowel
with the tip resting on the hook shank so you can wrap the CDC around
it.   When the CDC feather is
wrapped to the extent desired, secure the tag end to the shank near where it was
first tied in.  Cut the remainder away.

Prepare the material for the thorax
and wrap behing the loop.  You can dub the thread in a whip finish know as
shown to eliminate the thread from showing.  You must be sure to
use the proper quantity of material for thorax shaping.

NOTE: 
You may have a problem pulling the wooded dowel from the tied "embrace."  
But I have solved that problem!  

Push the piece
of wood toward the eye of the hook with the forefinger of your left hand. 
Then with your right hand, rotate the wood to
the left (direction of wind).  All feather fibers will slide around the
wood better, and pulling the wood from the loop is done with minimum resistance.

After
that, the feather "opens" and forms a closed ball-like
sphere that holds a  maximum amount of air.  That air, combined with the
nature of CDC, solves your floating problem with the "suspended" pupas of
Chironomidae.

Bubble
CDC Suspender Midges

There
are several advantages of using such flies.  

A
correct midge will silhouette on its first contact with water.  Not to be
sunk!  

Visibility
and additional weight of the leader is limited because it sinks into the surface
film.  Also, there is minimum resistance while flying
through the air.