Crayfish Pattern for trout

[RagingBull 0]

The main trout stream that i fish is just loaded with small crayfish. I was wondering if anyone uses a crayfish pattern for trout and has had success with it. If so does anyone have a relativly simple yet small pattern that they would be willing to share? I was thinking like a size 10 or 12 hook maybe even smaller. Like i said there are a ton of crayfish in the stream but they are smaller than i normally see.

 

Thanks and tight lines

[Guest]

http://www.hafft.ca/Crayfish.pdf

 

That's a good one. When I saw Joe Penich tying them he was splitting the furry foam in half when tying small ones to keep the bulk down.

[EricF 0]

My favorite for small crayfish is dubbed body, wire rib, red squirrel tail, tied butt at the eye, split at the hook to make the claws. Very simple, easy and ties well small.

[Gavin 0]

Doug's Christian Crayfish...tie it on a crappie tube jig hook

 

http://www.ozarkflyfishers.org/fly/dougcryfish.html

 

Don's Craw

http://www.ozarkflyfishers.org/fly/doncray.html

 

 

[Druce 0]

I think a small wooly bugger with the right color combo and mabey even split the marabou for the claws, i really think its the most productive, even throw on a shell back of some kind. Some times the most simple of patterns can be the best.

 

Druce

[Druce 0]

oh! and might I add, placing a heavey bead on the shank, i use a 5/32 tungsten bead by super fly on a size 12-10 streamer hook, makes it land hook eye first on the bottom with the "claws" facing up. I dont think it gives you that full craw action without the beadhead.

[Chuck CV 0]

Ditto the Wooly Bugger as a smaller crayfish pattern. They act like crayfish in the water.

 

I like a brown-olive Bugger, which is close enough to the natural in most cases. Olive body, natural brown hackle and maribou to match that shade of brown for the tail - two plumes, tied concave sides facing each other, with maybe a shorter wisp of red-orange underneath.

 

The hackle is tied in butt-first and wrapped dull-side facing forward. I prefer sleazy neck hackle that triangulates, so that it has shorter fibers and little web by the time you reach the front of the fly. A tad of root beer Krystal Flash under the hackle doesn't hurt either.

 

The finished fly looks awful, but outfishes prettier flies as a small crayfish imitation. That reversed hackle mimics the shorter claws on the real crayfish, adding to the fly's natural silhouette at rest and action.

 

Per the above suggestion re: coneheads, I'll try that addition this coming season - am sure it will add to the natural action of the fly, which works best when pulled in quick 6" jerks with a one-to-two-second pause between. That conehead would make the crayfish tail (head of fly) appear to curl as it sinks. Thanks for the suggestion.

[JSzymczyk 0]

a #12 or #10 brown or tan woolly worm with grizzly hackle... and a shot of crawfish scent.

[RagingBull 0]

Thanks for the info guys.

[fishabuoy 0]

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/ddcrayfish.htm

 

 

That thing ^^^^ is by far the best Cray pattern I've used. It is deadly on big browns in our rivers.

 

cheers-

bobby V

[wes917 0]

size 14 awesome pattern http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/march2006/147

[RagingBull 0]

size 14 awesome pattern http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/march2006/147

 

Interesting pattern and i like the 2 tone color of the body, Looks like im gonna have to learn how to crochete :wallbash:. Lol i guess should of paid closer attention to my grandma back in the day.

[lykos33 0]

CTeeter here on the forum has a nice smaller craw pattern (received one in the "fishable favorites swap), send him a message and see if he'll post up a SBS. From what I can tell it looks like a fairly simple pattern with minimal materials...I'd like to see the SBS on this one too....

[DoctorD 0]

size 14 awesome pattern http://www.hatchesmagazine.com/page/march2006/147

 

Interesting pattern and i like the 2 tone color of the body, Looks like im gonna have to learn how to crochete :wallbash:. Lol i guess should of paid closer attention to my grandma back in the day.

 

You don't need to learn how to crochete, check out Oliver Edwards video. He puts 4 weaving techniques in the same video. The easiest is the overhand knot method. It takes the most time to make a body but its easy to remember and get to look good.

 

http://hatchesmagazine.com/shop/essential-...oven-flies.html

 

Lanning

[Will K 0]

The small bugger idea works great. There is an OLD pattern that was basically the body of a bugger with brown chennele/dub and black hackle... with a some turkey feather, folded over to create a "shell". The claws were two angled clumps of maribou or hackle fibers. You could do like one-two turns of chennele or dubbing, then put the claws in - it keeps them split well - even if they are maribou... then go from there. I will try and get a picture tonight and post up tomorrow. I fished that with a lot of success for several years on trout. It evolved for me and I slowly turned it into a few other flies... but still use that simple little craw time to time.

 

On that front - trout love craws!