crayfish patterns

[m_grieb 0]

Im searching for some new crayfish patterns. I dont want them so realistic theyre lures but i dont want the old chenile body with a split bucktail claws. Ive been looking around youtube and the works, but i was wondering if you guys would be willing to share your favorite crayfish patterns? Hoppefully this thread canbecome a useful resource for those who are looking forsome new patterns.

 

Thanks

Matt

[Fish For Life 0]

My two favorites are fish skull crawbody crayfish, and ones that use rabbit strips as the claws.

[Fish For Life 0]

My two favorites are fish skull crawbody crayfish, and ones that use rabbit strips as the claws.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Here's a couple that I bookmarked from the FTF pattern database:

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern13354.html

 

http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern10709.html

 

I also like the Clouser Crayfish

 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Here's another good one

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ra9QDf-EQ

[singletrack 0]

Here is a crayfish pattern I tie. I use felt for the shell and I have a digital pattern for it if you would like to tie this I can send it to you.

 

Claws: rabbit strip

Shell: craft store felt

Under body: scud dubbing

Legs: hackle

Ribbing: 17lb mono

There is also a dumbell eye tied at the bend of the hook that you can see in the first photo.

[Philly 0]

I plan on tying a few of these to take up to Canada with me this year. I've had the two I initially tied sitting in one of my fly boxes for two years. I think it's time to fish them. It's based on a Calcasieu Pig Boat.

 

Sitting on a bottom of a glass jar

 

 

The "tail" is two small rattles wrapped on the side of the shank

 

 

Another thing you might want to look at are shrimp patterns, with a bit of modification and color changes some would make good crayfish patterns.

 

Here's two that I would consider fishing as crayfish.

 

 

[flytire 0]

[hairwing 0]

Good thread !

 

I like the woolly bugger or the swimming nymph. I find that the the swimming nymph allows smaller imitations and use both as needed.

 

Swimming Nymph variation....

 

[m_grieb 0]

This thread is awesome! Keep em comin!

[Cold 0]

My go-to crawfish patterns are fairly simple, but they've produced enough to hold permanent spots in my boxes:

 

For small ones (say, #8 and smaller) a brown woolly bugger. It ain't fancy, but it works. To get it less "generic bugger" and more "crawfish pattern", I'll sometimes add some hourglass eyes (up near the eye to impart more of a jigging/twitching motion on the retrieve), extra lead wire in the underbody, or alternate materials like coyote or fox hair for the tail, and maybe a double hackle for the palmer (usually burnt orange and olive grizzly wrapped together).

 

For anything #6 or larger, I go to a foxxee clouser/backstabber hybrid using red fox and some fox squirrel tail with rubber legs, some copper or gold flash, and hourglass eyes, usually on a somewhat shorter hook. This fly is absolutely deadly on larger trout, any trout in the late spring and early summer, and expect vicious takes from any smallmouth that happen to be nearby. Worked slow, you can use it to take a carp here and there too.

 

Both of them are impressionistic, and fairly quick ties, but if I'm fishing a craw pattern, it's down & dirty, in the rocks and brush. I'm going to lose a few if I'm doing it right, so I don't want to be taking too much time in tying super complicated patterns with sculpted claws, lacquered shell backs, and detailed eye stalks.

 

If I want to change it up, I'll take a bonefish shirmp pattern and bulk it up a bit to stand up to the current of a river.

[djtrout 0]

I have not fished this, but intend to try and tie this spring. It's by Eastern Trophies fly fishing, called the sixth man. It is simple and chenille-based, maybe not far enough away from what you are trying to get away from, but I like it and know it to be effective from local shop owners and fishermen. Craw patterns are fun to play with. It is kind of funny how I can take a bugger of sorts, stick a craw claw on it and voila - a crayfish pattern!

 

http://easterntrophiesflyfishing.bigcartel.com/product/the-6th-man

[cheech 0]

El Crawcito.

 

[salmobytes 0]

Made with Baitfish Emulator Flash and an olive-dyed grizzly saddle, on a #6 forward slant jig hook. And barbell eyes, which don't show in this photo. But they're there.

 

[vjc 0]

flytire, I really like this pattern, looks easy to tie and uses common material. But it seems to be upside down. Have you tried tying it hook up? Seems like with hook up and some chain eyes it it would be even better.

 

m_grieb, Thanks for starting this post. I've been looking for a pattern that I like for a couple years.