help with crayfish patterns

[JZ]

I have only been tying for about 8 months, and i am getting better everyday, but i have trouble with crayfish patterns. i can tie them ok, but i neet to find one that really works. up here in NW montana, almost all of the lakes have crayfish, and it is a big time died to the big bass. IF you could help me out that would be great, i will try to post on some of my new creations sometime soon.

thnx

Jz

[ducksterman]

It's a different world

Having said that ,,,JZ,,, I really admire that you are doing new creations and look forward to seeing them..keep it up

[gonfishn]

Welcome aboard JZ.
I live just up the street from you in Eureka.
There are some really knowledgable fly chuckers in Troy ask around town a little.There are a couple of local tiers that would be a good to bounce tying questions off of also.
PM.Me and i'll give you a couple of other avenues to answer your questions.

[ckjacks]

Here is a good pattern. That is easy, but works well.
http://mcflyshop.com/articles/index.php?targetID=11

Its what I use for white bass in the spring. I tie it in that color and purple with pink.

[JZ]

gon fishn
AH. eurika, we played football against you this year this year(Junior high) and we got slaughtered,but anyway, i am pretty close freinds with most of the guides around here, and next year i will be old enough to work for Tim Linahan, and he is pretty excited about me tying for him. i know half of the outdoorsman around our area because of my dad. he is a pro photargepher, named don jones, he has a really cool/new site and i will try to get it posted back on here.
ckjacks- thnkz, i am going to go tie it right now!

[Buddy Sanders]

JZ,

Designing a crawfish fly isn't difficult, but if you want to actually catch fish with it, consider this:

For crawfish patterns for bass, disregard how the fly 'looks' and concentrate on how it 'moves'.

Bass are more attracted to the action of a bait than they are to it's 'looks'.

In other words, your crawfish flies need not resemble an actual crawfish.

Bass are instinctually attracted to two things that a crawfish does. First, alarmed crawfish will 'flee' by darting quickly backwards. Bass see this and are attracted by this flight response.

When the crawfish does this, the legs are tucked in and the claws stream out behind them, the tail is used for propulsion, but as they 'glide' they tuck it underneath. The tail has the heaviest muscle in the crawfishes body, so that part is denser than the rest, so that part sinks first. So, to 'imitate' this you need a fly that is weighted at the hook eye, has a relatively bulky silhouette, and has some legs/claws/antennae trailing behind all clumped together. (sort of a fat wooly bugger with dense tail and maybe some rubber hackle there as well).

To fish it, work the fly in short, fast strips. The fly will dart upwards then glide back down.

The other thing that many crawfish do that attract bass is 'fall' vertically through the water column. This happens when a crawfish that is feeding on/in underwater brush and vegetation becomes dislodged and 'drops' to the bottom. Bass are attracted to what they see as a helpless prey.

While 'falling' a crawfish will fully extend it's legs, tails, antennae, and claws. They tend to fall with a horizontal atitude. To 'imitate' this, a fly should have long protruding legs, at right angles to the body, stiff antennae, and somewhat rigid claws. You want a fly that's centrally weighted, so it stays horizontal as it falls. Use stiffer materials for this presentation, as you don't want them to tail behind the fly, but hold their shape as the fly falls. Again, a bugger based fly with stiff saddle hackle for the legs, bucktail lashed together for the claws, and peccary for the antennae would work well.

To present this fly, cast it right next to submerged vegetation using a puddle or 'pile' cast so that it can sink vertically. Strikes come on the fall, so watch the line closely.

Taking the time to make it actually 'look' like a crawfish will be wasted unless it ASLO moves like one. Making a fly that 'moves' like a crawfish but doesn't really look like one will still catch lots of fish.

Good Luck!

Buddy

[DShock]

JZ,
I'm going to give you a fly pattern that is deadly.
I have come to believe that fish take this fly for a small crayfish.
Cascade Special (woolybugger)
Hook; Long Shank Size 12
Bead; Copper Metal. (pinch barb down and slide to head)
Tail; Burnt Orange Marabou and TWO copper color reflective fibers.
Hackle; Burnt Orange Grizzly.
Body; J. FAIR Short Shuck (burnt orange)Chenile.
The J. Fair company of Eagle Lake California is where I purchased the special color marabou, hackle and chenile. Hopefully this is their phone # (916) 825-3401. Look them up on the Internet also.
In early season cold water, a SLOW jerk retrieve can catch fish. When the water warms up the fish should be all over it!
Good Luck!
Doug P.S. Use a SA Intermediate Sink or for deeper water a Fast Sink Fly Line.

[ckjacks]

Here's another one that looks more realistic, the first one has a better action too it though.

http://ozarkanglers.com/recipes/crawfish.php

[bassman]

This is the one I use a lot. John

Olive Crawdad
Hook: Mustad 9575 #6
6-10 wraps of .015 lead at tail
Thread: UTC 140 Olive
Antenia: Olive Round Rubber
Secondary Antenia: Black Wig Hair
Claws: Olive Indian Cock Saddle
Shell Back: Olive Swiss Straw
Eyes: Med Black Plastic
Body: Med Green Chennile
Legs: Olive Rabbit Dubbing
Rib: UTC 140 Olive
Tail: Swiss Staw coated with SHHAN

[ol' blue]

You might try some of these for inspiration:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ghileman@sb ... 2317307994

If any of them interested you, you can contact the tyer for details if you need to. There should be a user name on each photo. They are all from a swap here on FAOL. If not, drop me a line and I will give you the best info I have on them.