The Craw Bugger is a just a modified woolly bugger with barbell eyes. Easy to tie. Sinks like a stone.
I did notice at Wade Lake a month ago–while watching two kids catching crayfish in shallow water–that crayfish fold their big pincers together when swimming away in panic mode, so the two claws looks like one big pear-shaped appendage. So working hard at tying two visually distinguishable pincer-legs goes beyond what’s really needed. Crazy Charlie-like barbell eyes that force the hook to ride up are important. You need to be able to walk a crawfish fly slowly along the bottom. And then, periodically, to twitch it away in panic mode, with minimal snagging tribulations.
Lots of tiers make Clousers this way (with hook forced to ride pointing up). I’m beginning to think all medium to large size wet flies should be made that way. An upward pointing hook snags less and hooks better. That’s hard to argue with.
I do agree that the hook is by far more efficient if it is riding point up, especialy on down and dirty weighted flies. Craws, hellgramites & stones for sure. I do also try to keep pretty much all my streamers and some nymphs point up as well!
On the claws, i make them both in single clumps and seperated. I guess it depends on how much time i have to fool around at the bench. You are right that they do pull together when they are spooked and swimming, but they also have attitude and raise them in a defense stance when at rest on the bottom. You can pretty easily make seperated claws with zonker strips using a few wraps of chenille right at the hook bend to make a lump and then tie the strips to each side. They will clump together while moving but seperate when the fly is at rest.
Don’t get me wrong, they catch fish BOTH ways! I tend to use more of the seperated styles when fishing still or slack water when i am using alot of pauses.
I used to try to tie very realistic crawfish patterns, but I’ve found that a Wooly Bugger works as good, or better than all the other patterns out there, especially with barbell weights.
Very cool tie! I use marabou claws on my crayfish patterns, too but I divide them. When you strip them through the water, the marabou comes together and when you stop them, the marabou flares out and gives a good impression of mass. I usually tie the lead eyes at the eye of the hook. At rest, it gives the appearance of a crayfish in defensive posture and when you strip them, they seem to move like the real ones.
