The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

A couple hours in the blind tonight brought a couple ducks to hand. Interestingly enough one was a hen Gadwall whose CDC patch held an extraordinary amount of the prized feathers. They weren't as big as a Mallard's, but there were more of them than I've picked off some of those greenhead drakes -- very impressive!

That's what I love about these game creatures. Even a "homely" bird like this hen has a great deal to offer, and will contribute in so many ways from the table to the vise to the water. I'll have to get tying pretty soon here.

(Took a couple coots this season as well. No good for eating, but they have great feathers for small speys and almost-black CDC. As plentiful and occasionally bothersome as they can be, they are the one bird I don't mind shooting strictly for their plumage.)

We're off to a good start! That's one of the only benefits of being out of Steelhead territory -- no decision to make between duck hunting or fishing!

-- T.

I have to admit that I never enjoyed sitting in a blind waiting for (or calling) ducks. I suppose if I had done it more when I was young I would. However, the thought of upland hunting for pheasant, quail, and chukar, now THAT gets my blood moving!

I am, however, envious of the feathers! I suppose I could go jump hunting for Woodies...

Buzz

no/msg

Lemme see here…duck hunters hide under camouflage and make sounds like ducks to lure ducks into range so the hunters can ambush the ducks and blast them out of the sky…fly fishers use fraud and deceit to entice a fish to eat something that looks like fish food with a hook in it …both groups engage in the activity during periods of foul weather and other adverse conditions (suffering the wrath of persons to whom they are related by marriage) ...I’m proud to be a duck hunter and fly fisherman and, I enjoy associating with others of that ilk (not elk).

Paul

ilk is the key word.

Paul, you took the word right out of my key strokes

last year my dad came back from a trip and ask me if i wanted the feathers. yeah, i said, i'll take the quills, the flanks and the cdc. what i got was a bag of seven ducks worth of feathers.

dad, i want these and i want these i spent hours sorting through them and i think most ended up flying all over the place. i promised some cdcs to guys in a swap i hosted. i felt bad for the amount i sent. it took me a hours just to get a small bag collected

Buzz wrote:

However, the thought of upland hunting for pheasant, quail, and chukar, now THAT gets my blood moving!

Yep, no doubt about it! There's actually more tying material on them, too!

Depending on the variety of waterfowl, it can take a lot of birds to get just a little bit of CDC. If he ever asks if you want goose feathers, just say "Yes! Yes please!" MASSIVE CDG (?) plumes, and plenty of them! They're even good for steelhead flies!

That reminds me... anyone want to trade some super-high-quality flies for Canada floaters? *VBG*

-- T.

Aaaarrrrggghhhh. I was just on a goose hunt a couple of weeks ago and didn't even think to grab the CDC feathers. 27 honkers in the group! Big group too. I did get it on film.