crawfish fly

[MOturkE]

You might try tying the FOTW (Reversed Spider) wrong-way-'round (tail at the hook eye, and hackle/legs hanging off the back). Never know...

[Kahuna]

Check out this from Joe Cornwall:
http://www.flyfishohio.com/

Thanks!

KAHUNA

P.S. An easy tie and I used Wild Turkey Feathers.

[bassman]

Here is my recipe for the Olive Crayfish you will see in the pics on the post by ol'blue. It is pretty easy to tie. John

OLIVE CRAYFISH
HOOK: Mustad 9575 #8
6-10 wraps of lead at tail
THREAD: UTC 140 Olive
BODY: Olive Squirrel Dubbing
BACK: Olive Swiss Straw
RIB: UTC 140 Olive Thread
EYES: Black Mono Med
MAIN ANTENNA: Olive Round Rubber Legs
SECONDARY ANTENNA: Black Wig Hair

[Bamboozle]

lj1909:

Here are links to two previous threads on the same subject:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7485

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7148

I'll enthusiastically endorse gfmd33's suggestion to check out http://www.kreeltackle.com/

The Kreel Claws just slip over the hook point. After securing with tying thread you have great claws in less than a minute...really!

[white43]

For the swap shown I did a Clouser Crawfish. Thanks to reading Tim Holshlag's smallie book, then meeting him at Great Waters where he had a version of his crawfish fly, I've modified it significantly. Tim uses a small square of orange foam tied off the back of the hook, which gives the fly a lift underwater similar to a fleeing and stressed crawfish. In the lastest craw used in a swap (the boa yarn swap), I tied Holshlag's using the boa yarn from Walmart. Also called Fun Yarn or something like that. Tim uses a jig hook with the 90 degree bend with a Clouser weight tied in the angle, then builds around that. He dislikes most craw flies because they don't show enough life underwater. I think he uses a maribou body with his. YOu might want to check his book, or website for a thorough recipe. JGW

Since crayfish (crawdads) are streamer pattern that is fished along the bottom, it help to keep the hook position up (not down)!

To keep the hook positioned up, just lay a keel (wire weight) on the top of the hook shank in the vise, and secure. The reverse the hook to dress the the hook. I dress my crayfish patterns, so they are no longer than 1? inches in length (4 cm). Reason for this is any larger, the fish will avoid the crayfish, because they do not want to get pinched.





[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/tyingtips/part151.html:e4a29]Laying Keel, Click Here![/url:e4a29]

[RL]

Brown crystal wooly bugger with brown/ orange emu palmer works like a charm. Throw some flash or peacock or Sili legs out the back and tie it with dumbbells as a keel.

RL

[lee s]

There is much to be said for the keel over the dumbell eyes if they will both perform the desired function......ESPECIALLY if one's casting is as atroscious as ours. The keel proceedure provides padding between the weight and my rod!

[DeaDrift]

Try my amazingly simple wolly buggers..Pipe cleaners, thread, and marabou feathers..Make a tail out of the feathers..and make the body by wrapping the pipe cleaner around the hook..Good luck