Last Chance Cripple

[McFlyLures 0]

Cripple flies are generally very big producing flies.  They mimic an aquatic bug turning to adult form and trying to wiggle out of its shuck, but with a crippled wing.  They represent an easy food for the trout and therefor trout will target the ones that are unable to fly away.  So the Last Chance Cripple mimics mayfly and baetis trying to emerge.  The wing is cut, which forces it to slightly lay over and looks like a mayfly with a stubby or broken wing. I heard somewhere that up to 40% of mayflies actually end up unable to fly away so, this is a meal trout are used to seeing and instinctually target.

 

This last chance cripple fly is tied to be in BWO colors.  The shucks of BWO's usually are brown, and they emerge with an olive body and the signature blue dun wing.  Of course you could tie these in any color combo though to mimic any mayfly species.  They float quite well, and the tuff of CDC is rather easy to see on the surface.  I would not say these will hold up heavy wet flies though, so I would not hang anything with a bead off the back of this fly if you plan on doubling up your flies.  But instead maybe try this fly behind some other dry fly.

 

Materials

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Hook:  Risen Barbless Dry Fly 100 (size 14)

Thread:  Veevus 10/0 (brown)

Tail:  CDL Rooster Feather (medium pardo)

Shuck:  Poly Yarn (white)

Abdomen:  Turkey Biot (brown)

Glue:  Loctite Brush on Super Glue

Dubbing:  Antron Dubbing (medium olive)

Wing:  CDC (blue dun)

Hackle:  Dry Fly Rooster Saddle (size 16, grizzly)

Cement:  Solarez Ultra Thin

[Sandan 0]

Nice tie, McFly. The LCC is def one of my go to flies for when duns are on the water. I use wood duck for the tail and antron yarn for the shuck.  

[McFlyLures 0]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:54 PM, Sandan said:

Nice tie, McFly. The LCC is def one of my go to flies for when duns are on the water. I use wood duck for the tail and antron yarn for the shuck.  

Thank you, yeah wood duck is probably more to the original I would think, and I use it often as well.  Antron for sure.