Fly of the Month: Puff Daddy

May 2026 Fly of the Month submitted by Kevin Ramsey

The Puff Daddy Fly is relatively easy to tie once you get the hang of it, and it is a very productive pattern to have in your box. It mimics mayflies, caddis flies, craneflies and stoneflies so well. I think the real key to its success is that it represents a struggling insect, one that is either stuck in its nymph shuck or just cannot take flight. Trout will definitely key in on struggling insects as the chance that they will escape is next to none. Also, because the CDC is tied 360 degrees around the hook , whichever way the fly lands it will show the same profile. They can be tied in whatever size and color you choose to represent the insect you're trying to mimic. To help this fly float properly, brush the fly with a desiccant like Frogs Fanny or whichever dry fly powder you use.

Tie some up and when your fishing buddy finally asks what are you catching them with, you can just hand them a Puff Daddy!

Recipe:

Thread: UTC 70

Hook: Your choice of dry fly hook

Body: Dry fly dubbing

Wing/Shuck: CDC feather

Step-by-Step:

Step 1

Place your hook into the vise and begin wrapping thread rearward to the bend of the hook. In this case, we have a size 12 dry fly hook as we will tie a March Brown Puff Daddy. Dub a thin noodle of dry fly dubbing onto the thread and advance the dubbing to about the ¾ point on the hook.

Step 2

Choose a CDC feather which has a fine stem. This may take a little sorting but do the best you can. This will be wrapped on the remaining bare part of the hook shank.

Step 3

Grab the very tip of the CDC feather with your hackle pilers and stroke the feathers on both sides of the stem back, exposing the small tip of the feather.

Step 4

Lay the CDC feather on the top of the hook with the concave portion of the feather facing downward and tie that exposed tip section onto the hook with four or five snug wraps. Snip off the very tip of the feather.

Step 5

Attach your hackle pliers to the bottom of the CDC feather (the thick part of the stem) and wrap the feather forward for three or four turns and tie it off with a few snug wraps of thread. While you are wrapping the CDC feather forward, just take your thumb and fore finger and stroke both sides of the feather reward as you wrap. This will help to keep the fibers pointing in a rearward direction on the finished fly. Sparse is better on this fly, you don't want the CDC to be too full, or it will obscure the body of the fly.

Step 6

Snip off the remaining unused part of the CDC feather. When completed, you'll have your fly nearly complete. Notice in the photo that the fibers extend well past the hook bend at the rear of the fly. You can leave this if you like, or you can trim the feathers right at the bend of the hook as I've done in the last photo. To do this, remove the fly from the vice and with your left hand stroke the feather reward and with your scissors cut the excess portion of fibers in line with the hook bend.