crayfish patterns

[heavynets 0]

The claws are a little too long and the bodies still too narrow for my taste. I don't like to cut rubber legs short because they lose their movement. So I switched to a feather and I like it better.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

The mudbugs down here in our ponds and creeks in south Ga have huge claws. Sometimes as big as the thorax, especially on bigger older crawfish. There is a noticeable difference in the size of the thorax and abdomen. The abdomen are not as wide as the thorax, which contrasts your description Heavy. I'm not saying you're wrong only maybe our mudbugs are different. I know I've never caught a bass on one or an imitation of one but panfish love small ones and imitations. And they make great bait for limb lining huge cats in the ogeechee.

[retrocarp 0]

El Crawcito.

 

That's a cool looking Craybob cheech.

[hairwing 0]

 

Two world record trout were caught on the "Grizzly Shrimp" in the '70's, one by Del Canty (originator of the fly pattern) and the other by Joe Butler, a friend of Canty's.

I don't think the recipe is all that sacred, it's the shape and form that's important. Fur with guard hairs for a tail, squirrel, badger, rabbit etc......, I used fox. A grizzly hackle for a palmer rib and a chenille body (I used med. olive). Extra guard hairs and fur are tied in tips first before the body and hackle and are humped over the body and tied at the head of the fly. Feel free to tie a big head with thread.

Think crayfish when you put it together.

Del Canty was an Ichthyologist and knew his quarry and the habits of the fish he caught plus the workings of the particular ecosystem he fished intimately. He was a fearless fisherman, fishing in extreme weather and conditions; and the trout he caught were truly big trophy's.

Here is a quote from a site concerning something I thought was important....Females carrying eggs or hatchlings are highly susceptible to predators, because they cannot use their normal tail-flipping escape response. - See more at: http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/832/crawfish-biology/#sthash.unTiw24K.dpuf . Be like Del and look into the crawfish in your area and find their habits and you will be ahead of the game.

[Tippe 0]

Bob Clouser Jr. has a really good one. It is small, but it does great dredging for browns and cold water smallies.

 

http://www.clouserflyfishing.com/clouscraysma.html

[m_grieb 0]

Meatwads

 

meatwads.jpg

 

Buddy made a tutorial for me a few months ago.

 

Where do you get that sort of eyes from? I'm really interested in these but want to get the right eyes before I start.

 

thanks

Matt

[m_grieb 0]

Thanks guys for keeping this thread going! its great! keep them coming!

 

 

Matt

[Mike West 0]

Here's mine.

[fishinguy 0]

 

 

Meatwads

 

meatwads.jpg

 

Buddy made a tutorial for me a few months ago.

 

Where do you get that sort of eyes from? I'm really interested in these but want to get the right eyes before I start.

 

thanks

Matt

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/10/how-to-make-shrimp-or-crab-mono-eyes.html?m=1

[josephcsylvia 0]

I tie alot of saltwater flies that use mono eyes I take 20lb mason and put a tiny glass bead any color I want flare the end of mono with lighter which also gives the bead a pupil and then coat it uv glue and done! This way is nice if you want color eye!

[m_grieb 0]

 

 

Meatwads

 

meatwads.jpg

 

Buddy made a tutorial for me a few months ago.

 

Where do you get that sort of eyes from? I'm really interested in these but want to get the right eyes before I start.

 

thanks

Matt

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/10/how-to-make-shrimp-or-crab-mono-eyes.html?m=1

 

 

So using this method, how important is the clear cure? if the eye is the size you want after melting, does the glue have any other purpose?

[josephcsylvia 0]

 

 

 

 

Meatwads

 

meatwads.jpg

 

Buddy made a tutorial for me a few months ago.

 

Where do you get that sort of eyes from? I'm really interested in these but want to get the right eyes before I start.

 

thanks

Matt

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2013/10/how-to-make-shrimp-or-crab-mono-eyes.html?m=1

So using this method, how important is the clear cure? if the eye is the size you want after melting, does the glue have any other purpose?

The glue in that method is for two purposes,

1 if you color the eyes with a sharpie it seals it.

2 if the shapes not perfect you can move the glue around to the shape you want and set it, it also gives it a little shine,

 

If you got a good shape and your not coloring it skip the glue.