This fly originates from the North Island of
New Zealand. It is the conception of a Mr. Craig,
whose first name was either Charles or Eric. In
1930 Mr. Craig first made this pattern, which now
bears his name. Apparently he dressed the fly as
a crayfish imitation to be fished at night. Mr
Craig first tested his new fly in Lake Taupo, where
the Waitahanui River runs into the lake. A few
other anglers were also fishing the rip but Mr.
Craig, using his new fly, caught the most fish.
Some time later he made the fly in two versions,
one with a black chenille body for use on dark
nights, and one with a light blue chenille body
to use on moonlit nights.
Throughout Australia's and New Zealand's trout
holding waters, the Craig's Night Time is an all
time favorite fly for night fishing, particularly
in lakes. At Lake Taupo it is held in such high
regard, that many after dark anglers, have boxes
full of Craig's, and Craig's only.
Some say the Craig's Night Time is taken for a
dragonfly larvae, perhaps it is when fished higher
in the water column, others swear trout take it as
a crayfish. There are two species of freshwater
crayfish in New Zealand. Paranephrops planifrons
is the only North Island species.
Paranephrops planifrons
Viewed from above this crayfish is a dull brownish-green
color. To me the Craig's Night Time looks nothing like
a crayfish and no matter how hard I compare the fly
with the crayfish, I can't see how trout distinguish
it as a crayfish.
Regardless of why fish take it, the Craig's Night
Time is one of the best all round searching patterns
for trout at night and it is not necessarily only
a night fly; it will also take fish during the day.
Apparently, for some mysterious reason, during the
warmer months when the trout are feeding on midges
at first light, the Craig's Night Time gets results.
Once mastered, the art of fly-fishing in the evening
and on into the mysterious darkness of night can be
extremely rewarding. Many anglers find it difficult
to cast at night. The point about casting in the dark
upsetting ones timing, can be counteracted by practicing
casting with eyes closed.
At Lake Taupo fly fishing at night is traditional,
especially at the mouths of several rivers feeding
the lake. This is because at night, crayfish venture
from the shelter of their deeper daytime burrows and
move inshore to feed on decaying vegetable or animal
matter. Trout, particularly brown trout, will also
venture into very shallow areas feeling more secure
under the cover of darkness. On dark moonless nights,
trout will swim right in close to the edge. Therefore,
it is not always necessary to cast long distances as
the trout are virtually under your feet. An added bonus
to night fishing is the fact that the bigger trout
are generally more active at night.
Where a stream runs into a lake it creates a visible
area of turbulence, known as a 'rip.' The rip will
be triangular or parabolic in shape and on a moonlit
night, you can actually make out the rip as a different
'surface texture'. If there is a decent current flowing
into the lake, cast the fly across the rip and let the
stream current swing the fly into the 'apex' of the rip.
Use a full floating line with 8 feet of straight-gauge
leader. The pukeko-style wing has a bulky water resistant
profile, which means the fly will sink rather slowly.
Allow the fly to swing to the end of the rip. Before
starting the retrieve it, fish it stationary for at
least a minute. Then the fly is fished along the bottom
where the natural crayfish will be. Retrieve the fly
using a slow figure of eight or a stop-start jerky
retrieve. Use the slowest retrieve you can tolerate,
the slower the better. If the current is from a very
small stream, an immediate slow retrieve along the
bottom is usually best. Here the apex of the rip is
only a short distance out and the trout will hopefully
be closer to the shore.
In Australia and New Zealand, the Craig's Night Time
is a 'must-have' fly when fishing in still-waters,
particularly after dark and especially where a river
runs into a lake. I would venture to say that the
Craig's Night Time would also be a successful fly
in South America. This is because once Australia,
New Zealand and South America were all joined
together as the ancient southern continent of
Gondwana. It is therefore not surprising to find
that Australian, and New Zealand crayfish have
their closest affinities with South American species.
The Pukeko Porhyrio porphyrio
New Zealand's common Purple Swamp hen
Materials Craig's Night Time (Charles or Eric Craig)
Hook: Size 2 - 10.
Tail: Short tuft of red wool.
Body: Black wool or chenille, ribbed with silver tinsel.
Wing: 3 matched pukeko breast feathers or suitable
substitute such as selected bluish black duck or ring neck
pheasant feathers, tied in on top and extending just past
the hook bend.
Hackle: Black and soft hen hackle.
Topping: One jungle cock eye laid on top of the wing.
Other New Zealand flies dressed in the 'pukeko-style'
include the Taihape Tickler, the Scotch Poacher and
the Moonlight Special. Recipes below.
Tying Instructions: Craig's Night Time
1. Wrap a nice even base of thread starting near
the eye of the hook and extending to the point where
you are going to tie in the tail. This point should
be roughly level with the barb on the hook.
2. Tie in a small tuft of red wool and trim the
excess wool.
3. Bind in the flat silver tinsel and trim the excess.
Use a tinsel that will give you the required look to
the fly.
4. Next strip some of the material from the bottom
of a strip black chenille and tie it. Now trim any
excess and wind the thread forward to a point behind
the eye. Leave enough room for tying in the wing.
5. Now wind the chenille evenly towards the thread.
Each successive turn should be just in the front of
the previous one creating a nice thick body. When you
reach the thread, tie chenille off and trim any left
excess.
6. Wind the tinsel forward through the body of the fly
toward the hook eye. Use no more than 5 turns and no less
than four to complete this task and trim any excess.
7. Now take your pre-selected wing feathers. Line them
up, one on top of the other in your hand. Measure the
wing feathers with the stripped feather base so that
they just overhang the tag of the fly. Pinch them between
your thumb and forefingers at the point they are to be
tied in. Take loose turns of thread first near your
finger tips getting progressively tighter as you move
towards the hook eye. This is vital if the wing is to
sit correctly and not splay.
8. Trim the excess or the feather stubs. Cut on an angle,
this will give you a nice flat angled base on which to
wrap a thread head and complete the pattern. Take several
turns of thread to get the correct look.
9. The profile of this pattern is critical. It is
most important to get this part right.
10. Tie in the Jungle Cock feather flat along the
wing as shown. This is an optional part of the fly
many commercial dressers leaving it as it is in the
previous shot.
11. Tie in soft black hen hackle, wet fly style.
Make one turn of hackle, tie off and trim the excess
hackle short. Part the top of the hackle and stroke
downwards using thumb and forefinger. Now come back
with a few wraps of the tying thread locking in the
hackle, full beard style. Finally form a head, whip
finish and add head cement.
These flies are tied with the same method.
Taihape Tickler
Hook: Size 6.
Tag: No tag or tail.
Body: Yellow chenille ribbed with silver tinsel.
Wing: Three matched pukeko feathers, extending
just past the hook bend.
Hackle: Soft claret webby hen (full hackle).
Scotch Poacher
Hook: Size 6.
Tag: Squirrel tail dyed black.
Body: Orange chenille ribbed with gold tinsel.
Wing: Three matched pukeko feathers, extending
just past the hook bend.
Hackle: Soft yellow webby hen (full hackle).
Moonlight Special
Hook: Size 6
Tag: Red hackle fibres.
Body: Yellow chenille ribbed with silver tinsel.
Wing: Three matched guinea fowl body feathers,
extending just past the hook bend.
Hackle: Soft yellow webby hen (full hackle).
~ Alan & Richard
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