Cricket Anyone?

[ScottP]

or Charlie Boy meets Thunderthighs


I like the Charlie Boy http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/fly...m?parentID=164 body because it seems to be more secure on the hook, but the front end and legs of the Thunderthighs http://hopperfishing.wordpress.com/2...thunderthighs/ look pretty cool so I thought I'd cross-breed


Lot of steps here, but the fly is pretty easy to tie and doesn't take all that long

Hook - Dai Riki 280
Thread - UTC 140 (olive brown here; couldn't find my spool of black)
Body - 2mm foam black
Legs (front) - round rubber black (med)
Legs (back) - 1mm foam black & sexi-floss black
Wing - landscape fabric (trimmed to shape)
Indicator - foam



Trim foam strip (hook gap width) to a point (different than Charlie Boy but I'll explain); poke a hole for the hook



slide foam to back of hook and wrap hook shank with thread



tie a 2mm x 2mm strip of foam to hook shank; helps to bind foam body to hook (leave a tag end on the back - helps elevate the tail end later)




poke a hole in the foam strip at hook eye



pull foam over hook eye and let foam protrude over the front



apply Crazy Glue (gel) on back end



apply some on binder strip



fold strip back over and squeeze at tip



couple soft wraps (don't want to cut the foam) and pull; thread should be right about where the barb is

[ScottP]

Part 2

cross-wrap over top to where you want next segment and repeat wrap



and again



one more at the hook eye (I know; insects have 3-segment body but fish don't seem to care)



use razor to cut back end (parallel to hook shank)



trim back end to point (this is why I pre-trimmed the foam; scissors seem to grab foam better and makes it easier to maintain the pointed shape)





add front legs

[ScottP]

Part 3

cut foam on top at front tie-in (original Thunder-thighs has both layers of foam folded over here but on small hooks like this #10, it's a bit too big for me)




move thread back one segment and add wing (I use landscape fabric; optional but I like the way it looks)




fold the foam strip back and tie off to create head




and trim



rear legs made from 1mm strip of foam cut to shape



tie overhand knot in a piece of sexi-floss

insert rear leg

[ScottP]

Part 4

pull floss tight and trim tag end



attach back legs and trim at tie-in




add indicator strip



trim strip, front legs and you're done





Regards,
Scott

[NJTroutbum]

Excellent SBS! Nicely done.

Ralph

[Steven]

Great SBS!

Going to try those legs with a GFA.

FWIW, I've had problems with hooking with a Charlie Boy Hopper tied in cricket sizes. Foam under the hook really narrows the hook gape.

[dr korn]

Wow Scott - that is an outstanding Cricket and step-by-step... Great photos and demo..

As you probably know out West where by now the fish have been hammered with hopper patterns....... the Cricket is the ticket! Let us know how is does on the real judges.

[ScottP]

FWIW, I've had problems with hooking with a Charlie Boy Hopper tied in cricket sizes. Foam under the hook really narrows the hook gape.

Steven,

Me too until I switched to the Dai Riki 280; the hump-shank seems to help.

Regards,
Scott

[Betty Hiner]

Wow! And wow again! GREAT SBS!

[ScottP]

As you probably know out West where by now the fish have been hammered with hopper patterns....... the Cricket is the ticket! Let us know how is does on the real judges.

Doug,

Cricket and beetles were the best early morning patterns up in the NE end of the Park; one or two fish would usually oblige.

Regards,
Scott