Crane Fly Larva

[HammerCreek 0]

Here is a really easy Crane Fly Larva pattern:

 

Crane Fly Larva

Hook: 6-10 Curved Nymph

Tail: Soft Hackle

Body: Translucent Nymph Skin

Thread: 140 Rusty Brown

Video Tying Guide

[bighornbuster 0]

Once again your technique is flawless. A couple of observations--1. I have never seen a shiny cranefly larva. 2. Although I like the use of the Sharpie to color the body, I wonder if it might be as effective or more so if the whole thing were colored, essentially tying it "in the round" ala Charles Brooks. 3. I wonder if a little marabou for the tail might impart more enticing movement. Please understand that these are not criticisms of your excellent work but some thoughts that might allow you to improve your innovative tying even more. Keep up the great work.

[mikechell 0]

You didn't list resin or UV glue in your recipe above. Since I don't have any, I was a little disappointed when you got to that part.

 

Bighorn ... Nothing looks the same underwater as it does in the air. Just because it looks shiny in the picture, doesn't mean it looks that way in the water. As with most flies, looking good in the vise is what appeals to US ... not necessarily the fish.

[bighornbuster 0]

I agree generally, but if that is true, why use anything with flash on it? I could be wrong on this one but I still say I have never seen a shiny cranefly larva.

[mikechell 0]

Big difference between a shiny surface and flash. I fully believe in flashy. I once watched a nature show about marine biology.

One of the segments was about different camouflage methods.

Mirror sided fish have two defense systems. One is obvious ... blue water behind the predator reflecting off the prey will allow the prey to blend in with blue water behind the prey.

The other was less obvious, but no less effective. A prey fish, fleeing through the water will reflect sunlight, flashing brightly as it does. But when the "flash" is over, the fish seemingly disappears. Like a flashlight being turned off and on in the dark ... or following a firefly through the night.

 

Flashy is normal in the water. However, that clear shiny coating on the fly, when in the water, might be invisible. Like a clear ice cube is invisible in pool water.

 

I've never seen a live crane fly larva. I have no doubt you've never seen a shiny one. But I am just talking about the imitation tied above.

[FlaFly 0]

Mike

another method is what we call aposomatic coloration. Herrings, for example, are greenish on top, and silver on the bottom. (many fish are like that). When viewed from below by a predator, the silver is viewed against a bright sky background, and is difficult to discern. When viewed from above, by a gull for example, the green is lost in the darkness of the water. I used to watch schools of yellowtail snappers with barracuda swimming right beside them, but if a fish turned on his side and flashed, he was toast. It was hard to catch a snapper on hook and line without the cudas getting half of it. Notice most people tie their streamers and clousers with dark above and white/silver below. It might look realistic, but I figure it is probably only effective due to the action caused by retrieving it. That's where the flash would come in handy.

[bighornbuster 0]

I get up every day hoping to learn something new and today I did thanks to FlaFly. Aposomatic coloration. My day is complete. Thank you.

[mikechell 0]

This is a good discussion. Learning more non-essential information to push out all the boring stuff of work, etc.

I've understood the dark light coloration thing for a long time ... never knew what it was called. Aposomatic ... thanks.

[BBBruce77 0]

the crain fly larva is not available to fish as they are burried in the muddy banks except after a heavy rain as they are sometimes washed into the stream as part of bank erosion. They can not swim worth a darn and just tend to bend back and forth , bending in the middle. I have found that using an english bait hook (Mustad 37160) and tying the pattern so that it will tumble as it drifts along the bottom makes for a quite realistic presentation.

[bighornbuster 0]

This is very true. One thing about the 37160 and bait hooks in general- there are some studies that indicate the hook tends to rotate upward when taken by a fish and the shape itself leads to brain or eye injuries (and thus mortality) on more fish. If you are keeping your catch, this is not an issue but if you prefer to release your quarry, it should be borne in mind.