Recipe/Intructions for crayfish

[achja]

I need dummy instructions for tying a crayfish. I have several recipes, but no detailed instructions. I tried most of the more popular ff/fly tying websites, without much luck, and none of my books have any step by step instructions. Also, any advice on color combinations would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.

-achja

[Loren]

achja,

A friend of mine has a recipie and I'll try to get it and send it to you. I've done a crawdad or two using what I remembered of the pattern, but haven't in a while.

Loren

[davida]

In general, for crayfish patterns, keep the claws small and keep the colours light. Many authorities have stated that the large clawed crayfish tend to spin and thus, tend to dicourage potential predators. It's also makes quite a mess of the tippet. The lighter colours, soft browns, light olives and muddy creams, imitate soft-shelled crayfish and, at least in my mind, tend to produce better results. The claws on my crayfish patterns are tied from bunny or fox fur. Both materials have a soft translucent action that is quite appealing in the water.

I like Will Ryan's soft craw with a few modifications. I prefer using chenille over a dubbed body, since I think that chenille makes the pattern sink better and, in addition, makes the pattern far easier to tie. I also think that the addition of a mashed dumbell weight next to the eye of the hook helps the fly get down in a current. This is one pattern that needs to be crawling right at the bottom to be effective.

I usually tie my craws on size 6, Mustad 9672. This hook style and size seems ideal to produce a realistic profile. It's also small enough to elicit strikes from trout, b****and panfish. Some of my largest river panfish have fallen to a craw this year.

Hope these notes help.
Regards, DA

[The Ole Man]

achja
When I saw the title of your topic, I thought we were going to COOK some crawfish-then I saw you just wanted to tie some. You'd better check out the grits auction- I've pulled ahead of you-eat my dust! hehehe

[Drifter]

achja,

June/July 99 issue of Warmwater Flyfishing has a pattern in the article by Carter Nelson called the Claire Daddy. It's similar to the Rubber Legged Dragon.

Here is the recipe:

HOOK:2X long nymph hook, size 10, bent slightly so the fly rides hook up.

THREAD: Black Danville's Monocord 3/0

EYES: Large bead chain eyes.

TAIL: Yellow round rubber hackle.

BODY: Brown small chenille.

LEGS: Squirrel tail

HEAD: Brown dubbing.

copywrite Warmwater Flyfishing Magazine, Carter Nelson June1999.

The Drifter