F Flies

[Wildfisher]

Who uses them?

I tend not  to use CDC (mainly  because I don't have any). Can't see much difference between these flies and say a deer hear sedge myself and I guess the deer hair will be more durable than CDC.

What do you think?

[tammytroot]

I find that after you catch a fish on a fly dressed with cdc it loses a bit of its floatability.   Also deerhair is a bit easier to see .
                      Tight lines to you all,
                                                           Tammy Troot.

[Clan Chief]

I have been using them for the last couple of seasons I especially use them at this time of year  when the Big sedge is on my local water. This year I have been experimenting more though  by  using elk hair flies for a wee change and to be honest I would say that one isn't any more successful than the other.

[Gander]

I still use the F Fly. DHS has all but taken over in my fly box, but for size 16 downwards I find the deer hair too bulky.

I also think that the CDC winged fly sits a little flatter in the water than deer hair. Maybe it also has a little more movement than deer hair, but I am not sure how the fish read this: It might not register with them.

The F Fly has a special place with me. It was the first fly with which I ever caught a targeted wild Brown.

[Clan Ford]

F-Fly - I use them but they are a pain.  Mine are all in wee sizes biggest is a 16, I think.  Tie them with little oiler puffs.  I find when the fish are a bit pernickety that they can save the day.  I also tie F-fly type flies but use polypropylene yarn for the wing rather than the CDC.  It?s much more durable and a wee touch of gink on the wing and they are unsinkable - maybe not as natural looking, though.

It?s probably my tying of them but I have yet to have any success on the river with a DHE.  I do ok on the lochs but not on the running water.  I've pretty much lost confidence in them which I know can't be right as everyone else seems to be cleaning up with them.  My current best emerger pattern is a sort of half dirty duster half Polyprop F-fly.  The trout seem to like it!

[rabbitangler]

I still use the F Fly. DHS has all but taken over in my fly box, but for size 16 downwards I find the deer hair too bulky.
quote]

Try Snowshoe foot in place of deer hair Gander, its fine like cdc and much more durable. You can even gink it to stay afloat.

[Gander]

Try Snowshoe foot in place of deer hair Gander, its fine like cdc and much more durable. You can even gink it to stay afloat.

I bought some Snowshoe foot last year, with that in mind. Not got round to using it yet, but it looks promising.

[Havtafish]

Always have been a big fan of CDC. I dont think its just the oil in the feather but all the barbules and the shape of them. I always gink mine with a very fine amount(so lite the CDC looks like its never been coated. Alot of guys seem to think its only good for one fish and its drowned but I dont find this. After ginking they dry out pretty quickly with a few false casts. I used to tie alot of Betters patterns like the "usual" with snoeshoe hares feet. The fur also has a natural water repellent. Great fly but I now tend to tie with CDC. I like CDC for two things 1- the great natural mousy olive colour 2- Excellent for smaller patterns as already talked about in this thread. Also CDC makes great bodies on some flies like Caddis patterns. I like to twist and wrap mine around the hook. Very buggy. Ive caught alot of troot on F flies with no body at all just a wing of CDC on a bare hook. Heres a F Fly variant I use alot- Body in the film and wing visible and but light and natural looking

[Malcolm]

I used it a lot - great fly in smaller sizes but have been trialling snowshoe this year and  I think I'll be using it for flies 14 and above

[haresear]

I use both CDC and snowshoe hare. The snowshoe is particularly good when you are getting plenty of takes or if weed is a problem as it doesn't get gunged up as badly as CDC.