Adult Cranefly Pattern

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I’ve been looking here and on google and I can’t seem to find an adult cranefly pattern that I like. Does anybody care to share?
Thanks

2

You mean like: http://globalflyfisher.com/patterns/martins-mundane-crane-fly or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPteMNmtqc4 or http://www.flyfishsd.com/hans-adult-cranefly/ or …

Plenty of them out here but how useful they are has always been the question. One often hears and reads that they are not a significant portion of a trout’s diet, hence the paucity of patterns. You’ll find a few more nymph patterns, and although I only carry the Killer Bug myself, a Hares Ear works in a pinch too. Only adult pattern I’ve ever seen in anyone’s box was essentially just an oversized parachute pattern that an old timer insisted worked in the dead of winter on a particularly tough lake to access. Never had a chance to check the veracity of his statement. YMMV.

3

A.K. Best uses nothing but a size 18 or 20 dry fly hook, dry fly dubbing, and size 2 white hackle. Very simple and it works. I prefer wet fly hackle and use it as a drowned crane fly. With that small of a hook and the dry fly dubbing, even with webby hackle it tends to stay in the film.

Joe

4

The folks across the Pond are big into daddy longlegs (their version), ranging from basic to a bit involved

http://www.fish4flies.com/Dry/Daddies-and-Hoppers/

Get your pheasant tail knotting skills up to speed.

Regards,
Scott

5

Did you check out this thread:

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/showthread.php?42682-Adult-Crane-Fly

6

Thanks, Guys. I’ll be tying mine in sizes 16, 18 & 20. They’re small here in my area of Pennsylvania.

7

Thanks guys. I think I’ll make a hybrid from one of these patterns. The trouble is that most of them have too much material to put on a size 18 or 20 hook. We grow 'em small in Central, PA.

8

You have a picture of it Joe? Just curious to see how he imitates it.

9

Sorry about the picture quality and the quick tie. I couldn’t find my book to take a picture of AK’s tie but you get the idea. 4 materials - hook, thread, dry fly dubbing, hackle. Probably should reduce the amount of hackle by a wrap or 2. Kind of a spider-type fly with giant hackle. It works.

Joe

10

Thanks, Joe

11

emerging crane fly can work drive the trout crazy.

saw some leatherbacks floating by prior.

yellow soft hackle in the film.

watched friend catch 18 browns and not move a step…browns destroyed the fly…
he tied on an orange and caught 6 more…
was this time of year.

12

remember it well…was headwaters,
water cress held the leatherbacks

cows were walking in water cress
this turned on hatch…
cows stopped wandering in water cress and trout quit hitting
i went upstream and stomped around in cress and was like turning a switch on.