The Realistic Crayfish Fly

The Realistic Crayfish Fly

I designed the Realistic Crayfish Fly as an alternative to the heavy rabbit-fur crayfish flies that I normally use. The pattern is generally tied on a size 6 hook, which produces a fly about two inches long. When this fly is wet it really looks like a crayfish. The claws, which are made of partially-stripped cock-pheasant chest-feathers, collapse and drag behind the fly when retrieved. The tail section is weighted with lead-substitute wire to produce the hopping, skittering action of real crayfish. I use dyed wool straight off the skin to dub the underbody. Because the thorax and abdomen are tied in two separate sections, I find that the whole-fiber wool is easier than spinning two dubbing noodles. When you tie this pattern, be sure to leave plenty of room at the hook eye, which will be the tail of the crayfish. Your fly will look sloppy if you crowd the eye.

The Realistic Crayfish Fly was designed with spring-creek trout in mind, but it is a great fly for smallmouth bass and larger panfish like rock bass. In lakes I have found the best approach for presenting crayfish flies is to cast tight into shore, let the fly sink and retrieve it with a series of hops. Rip-rap shores, submerged logs, boulders and sandy beaches are real hot spots for lake-dwelling bass. In streams the Realistic Crayfish Fly can be cast directly to cover and retrieved or fished on an across-and-down swing. Think about how real crayfish move and try to mimic those actions.



The Realistic Crayfish Fly when  wet

Sometimes I think that big, heavy crayfish flies spook fish when they crash-land in the water. On the other hand, the commercially-tied crayfish flies that you get at outdoor retailers are usually not heavy enough to get down in the water. The Realistic Crayfish Fly carries enough weight to make it effective, yet it does not splash down like a lead dumbbell version. The Realistic Crayfish Fly is useful when a more subtle presentation is called for. Use it in clear or low water or when the fish are spooky.



Putting the Realistic Crayfish Fly together

I tried to stay away from synthetic materials on this one. I think that the natural materials used look and move much better when the fly is in the water. This is a time-consuming fly to tie, but with practice you will find it easy to turn then out. I am not a speed-demon, but I can usually turn them out every ten minutes or so. Have a look at the recipe. There are no bizarre materials to send you searching through the local fly shops. I prefer a Tiemco TMC 5263 hook, but you may use any streamer hook that you wish.

Realistic Crayfish Fly

Hook: TMC 5263, size 6
Thread: Brown Danville Flymaster 6/0

Abdomen:
Antennae: Fox squirrel tail fibers
Claws: Cock-pheasant chest feathers
Shell back: Moose body hair
Hackle: Brown cock
Dubbing: Rusty wool

Thorax:
Ribbing: Fine copper wire
Shellback: Moose body hair
Weight: About eight turns of .025 lead-substitute wire
Dubbing: Rusty wool
Tail: Clipped ends of moose body hair

Have fun tying and fishing this one. I have sold and given these flies away across the country. If you have one, feel free to post any stories or photographs featuring the Realistic Crayfish Fly. If you would like to purchase some, please follow the link below. Enjoy!

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