The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning
The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning
Blue Wing Olive, Green Drake, PMD
Easy - 5-7 Min
Coldwater
This fly is quite a simple and sparse pattern, which is what makes it so effective. The CDC wing material sets this dry apart from others. There really are no other substitutions or materials like it. One option used by some tiers is using snowshoe hare died either dark, tan, natural or light dun.
The CDC Comparadun can be modified and tweaked in many small different ways to match the naturals that you observe on your home waters. All you must do is simply change the colors of the wing, body, and tail to imitate anything from Pale Morning Duns to Green Drakes to Baetis. One of the most effective variations of this fly is changing the colors to match the autumn Baetis hatch.
The key benefit a CDC Comparadun has over other mayfly dun imitations is how well it sits on top of the water. CDC, which is short for Hareline Cul De Canard, are hand selected feathers which grow near the oil glands of a duck. This proximity to the oil glands gives the feathers natural oils and buoyancy which keep the fly riding high in the water. This gives you a distinct advantage when stalking finicky trout because it is one of the most lifelike imitations of a mayfly dun or blue winged olive.
Something to keep in mind about the CDC Comparadun is that it is truly a labor of love to keep this fly floating well. Make sure you are using Frog’s Fanny or Docs Dry Dust instead of traditional gink floatants. With timely and proper application of floatant you will keep those CDC wings visible to you and the fly body sitting in an optimal position in the water column. This fly might take more attention than other dries, but the amount of fish it is able to catch makes it all worth it.
The CDC Comparadun is best fished with a single or double dry rig. The great thing about this fly is how it sits flush to the surface of the water allowing those CDC wings to stick straight up, just like the natural bugs this pattern is imitating. I found good success with this fly last spring, fishing in the foam of a long and deep eddy on the Colorado River. Since this fly is able to ride high on the water column I was able to hook and land several nice rainbows that were hitting emergers and duns in the foam. This fly is also very effective whether a hatch is present or not. Because of its lifelike qualities the fisherman must only focus on getting a drag free drift to entice a rising fish.
Another thing to keep in mind while using this fly is how to treat it after you catch a fish. The most effective way to keep this fly drifting well is to rinse off the fish slime on the fly in the water then dab it dry on your shirt or fly patch. Then dust off the fly with some Frogs Fanny and you’re ready to fish.
| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Region: West
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Northwest
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: East
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Southeast
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Midwest
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Region: West, Northwest, Midwest
Green Drake Sizes: #8 - #14
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Region: East
Green Drake Sizes: #8 - #14
|
| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
PMD Sizes: #14 - #20
|
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Copyright © 2003 – 2025 MidCurrent LLC, All Rights Reserved.