Ice Burst Caddis

CDC and Ice Ice Baby!  (I hope the song doesn't get stuck in your head.)  

I was skeptical when Ice Dubbing from Hareline Dubbing, Inc. first hit the streets and mentally searched for every excuse I could not to try it- too bright, too crinkly, etc., but the gents at the fly shop convinced me to give it shot.  I have since changed my mind. This stuff spectacular! In fact, I find myself doing a lot of material swapping from older patterns for Ice Dubbing.  

Originally, I devised this pattern with a rabbit and Antron blend combed out over the CDC.  It was a darn good looking pattern, but the results were hit or miss and my confidence waned.  When I swapped my homemade blend for Ice Dubbing the results were much better.  Now, combine this with the fish catching attributes of CDC and you have a helluva fly!

Ladies and Gentlemen,  I introduce to you, the Ice Burst Caddis...

Materials:

Hooks:  Daiichi 1120, or any curved nymph hook, sizes 10-18 (size 12 pictured)
Bead:  Choice (3.2MM Brite Bead pictured)
Thread:  Color to match collar/head (UTC 70, light olive pictured)
Ribbing:  Fine gold
Body:  CDC, color to match natural (Wood duck yellow pictured)
Thorax: Ice Dubbing, golden brown (The thorax is nothing more than a very small ball of dubbing.)
Collar/Head:  Ice Dubbing, 4 parts golden and 1 part olive brown, mixed
Antenna:  Bronze mallard

Step 1:

Secure hook in vise.  Start thread behind bead and wind to position pictured.

Step 2:

Tie in and secure ribbing with even wraps to position shown.

Step 3:

Select two CDC feathers and align the tips.  Once tips are aligned stroke the fibers forward to the tip a few times.  Tie in CDC near the butts with two or three wraps.

With a little tension on the bobbin, gentle pull the butt ends until the tips are close to the tie in point. You should see a lot of the fibers trapped by wraps of thread as pictured.  Wind thread forward.

The body will wrap without any of the fibers protruding until approximately mid way up the shank. and then begin to "hackle" from the stem.  Tie off in the position pictured.

Step 3A:

Counter wrap ribbing over CDC body.  Try not to trap any of the hackled CDC.  You may to use your bodkin to move these fibers while wrapping.

Dub a small ball of golden brown Ice Dubbing.  This will help support the barbs for additional wraps of CDC.

Make one or two more wraps of CDC in front of the ball/thorax. Secure butt ends and remove excess. If the CDC is too full, carefully remove a few fibers until desired effect is achieved.

Step 4:

Dub a medium size collar/head of blended dubbing.

Lightly brush dubbing to the rear.

Step 4A:

Select two fibers from a well marked bronze mallard feather.  Fork or "V" the fibers and tie in slightly off center of the head area.  Photo is angled to show position of antenna.

Dub a little more blended Ice Dubbing to finish the collar/head.  The fly may be finished at this point, if desired.  Whip finish.

To achieve the pattern's name Ice (dubbing) Burst, brush the head/collar to desire effect.   To keep the Ice Dubbing short, lightly pinch the head with index finger and thumb and draw fingers back over the back.  This will remove the longer Ice Dubbing fibers and even out the rest.

Boy Howdy!  Let me know how this patterns works for you... or feel free to ask questions in the comments section below.

Enjoy!