Culard

[scotfly]

This is the Culard, another successful pattern from Hans van Klinken. It has been a hugely successful pattern for me, much more than the well known Klinkhammer Special and the Once and Away. I believe Hans designed the fly for fishing low water conditions on a river, and at that it certainly excels. It has also been a hugely successful stillwater fly for me, rarely letting me down. I normally fish it dry, but, in articles I?ve read it appears Hans also liked to fish it ?damp?
He also ties a soft hackle version, though I have yet to try one. The soft hackle version is exactly the same apart from the hackle, which is Starling. (Instructions follow on from dry version)
I first saw this pattern in the FDG magazine several years ago, in it Hans uses the dark feather fibres from a Peacock wing for the Herl body. I don?t have any, but from its success for me I would say it?s safe to assume you can use any dark Herl for the body.
In the FDG  magazine the pattern states 3-4 CDC feathers for the wings and two turns of hackle. As the fly was designed for low water conditions this is how I tie the fly. However, in Tying CDC flys by Leon Links the pattern is given as four CDC feathers for the wing and four turns of hackle. I do not know if this is how Hans now ties the fly or if it is the author of the books preference. You may tie as is your preference.

Instructions assume right-handed tyers

Part 1 (Culard)

HOOK  - TMC103BL  #17
THREAD ? Black 10/0 Gudebrod
RIB ? Yellow Peasalls Silk (or fine Gold wire)
BODY ? Black Herl
WING ? 3 CDC Feathers (cut)
HACKLE ? 2 Turns Dark Dun

STEP 1
            Mount the hook, attach the thread and wrap towards the bend of the hook. Catch the rib in as you go.

Followed by the Herl for the body. Taking the thread back up to the shoulder of the fly. If you prefer, you can varnish the thread wraps prior to wrapping the body.

STEP 2
           Twist the herls into a rope and wind over the varnished thread to form the body.

Followed by the rib. I like to counter wrap the rib on Herl bodies flys such as this one.

STEP 3
            Mount three CDC feathers on top for the wing. You can roughly align them if you wish, but since you will be cutting the wing to length it is not critical.

Trim the waste.

Then cut the wings to length. Hans states the wing should be cut exactly halfway along the body. I prefer slightly longer for purely aesthetic reasons, about two thirds at most.

STEP 4
            Mount the hackle.

STEP 5
            Make two turns of hackle, tie off and form a neat head. Then whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.

Part 2  (Soft Hackle Culard)

Follow Steps 1 ? 3 above.
                                     

STEP 4
              Prepare the Starling Hackle by stripping the waste fibres away and gently pulling the required number of fibres at right angles to the stem.

Then tie in with the shiny side facing towards you.

STEP 5
            Wrap the hackle, sweep the fibres back as you wrap and tie off. Trim the waste and form a neat head then whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.

[Wildfisher]

Just ordered a new load of CDC so I'll tie some of these up later this week. Thanks Dennis. Good stuff.

[Fishtales]

I'm not keen on the look of cut wings on flies. Wouldn't it look better gripped between thumb nail and index finger and cut that way. It leaves a more ragged cut which seems to my eye to make the wing more natural looking. I do this if I think a feather wing is too long for the proportions of the fly after it is tyed. I have never tyed with CDC so I don't know if this would work. It is just an aesthetic thing anyway I don't suppose the fish care

[scotfly]

Hans van Klinken cuts them this way because the stiff stalk aids flotation. I wasn't keen on the idea at first, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. This fly, tied this way is an absolute must in my box.


You can read H van K's thoughts on this  here, scroll down to the bottom for the Culard.

http://www.ffinternet.com/html/flytying_emergers_once_away1.htm