Quote Originally Posted by Greg H View Post
I agree with the brown woolly bugger idea for a crayfish, but suggest two clumps of squirrel tail for the claws - or even just one clump because the c'fish folds them together when travelling. I find the squirrel colouring, shape and stiffness more closely represents the claws and doesn't tangle as much either. You could put some lead eyes on the hook Clouser style (but closer t othe bend) to get the fly down and also keep the hook pointing up). The extra bulk there when you dub or use chenille will be more like the shape of a c'fish too.
I think helgramites don't live in lakes very often. I have a cabin on an excellent smallmouth lake and have never (28 years) seen either the nymph (helgrammite) or adult (dobson fly) there. Damsel, dragon, mayfly and caddis; yes - so I presume if helgramites liked still water they would be there. I think Googling 'helgramite' would help identify where they might turn up.

I tie mine very similar to this - I use a 1/32 or 1/64 ounce jig hook instead of clouser style dumbells cuz the dumbells will wedge b/t rocks sometimes and the roundhead jig seems to slide thru more often. The jig does allow for the hook to ride up like a clouser. I use pine sq "micro" zonkers, tie in a small clump of deer hair close to the hook bend and tie the "claws" on either side, then wrap the squirrel up to the hook eye, very similar to John Scott's Pine Squirrel Cheater in the tie method except it has 2 "tails" for claws w/ the deer hair. To finish I tie some leg material close to the jig head - similar to the kreel craw http://www.flyfishohio.com/Kreel_Craw.htm
I use the sculpin olive color and crawfish orange, have had very good luck - this is usually the first fly I try