“Realistic” Crayfish
I have been asked to show the tying sequences for several specific patterns. This Crayfish is one of them. It’s from page 205 in my book Naturals (published in 1981 by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA). Although “impressionistic” in its overall design approach, it is none-the-less, realistic in that it clearly defines the features of the stationary crayfish (as opposed to the features of the fleeing crayfish). It’s fun to tie, and the fish like it.
A note on weighting the fly: weight can be added by wrapping lead wire under the body, using lead eyes, cones, or beads. One can also use foam over the cephalothorax and fish the fly with an “Anti-jigging” tactic. The fly can be weighted to ride upside down, also; in which case, the fly is tied upside down on the hook.
Step 1. Tie in a clump of guard hairs to form one of the pincers—bleached cottontail rabbit or other of similar coloration—and wrap the bottom 1/3 to ½ with the tying thread. It’s easiest start with the pincer that is on the far side of the hook.
Step 2. Tie in a second clump to form the second pincer and wrap the bottom 1/3 to ½ with the tying thread.
Step 3. Tie in a lacquered section of mottled turkey feather or similar-colored feather or feather segment.
Step 4. Form a spinning loop (in this case I was using 8/0 thread so I formed two loops of equal size and used them as a single loop—the two strands of thread make the loop twice as strong). Spin dubbing on one side of the loop and then insert guard hairs into the loop at right angles to the thread of the loop.
Step 5. Spin the loop very tight to produce the legging/body material that will be wrapped to form the cephalothorax (head/thorax area).
Step 6. Wrap the legging/body material over the rear 1/2 of the hook shank. After each wrap, stroke the legs rearward so they are not trapped under the subsequent wrap.
Step 7. Stroke the legs sticking “up” out to the sides, and then fold the turkey segment forward tightly over the top of the cephalothorax and tie it off; clip away any excess.
Step 8. Trim the legs off the bottom of the fly and wrap forward and form a small dubbing ball just behind the hook eye.
Step 9. To form the telson, tie in a clump of guard hairs under the hook and immediately behind the small ball of dubbing. Wind the thread tightly up against the dubbing to flare the guard hairs a bit. Form another spinning loop tight up against the cephalothorax.
Step 10. Spin dubbing on one side of the loop and then spin very tight; wrap forward to form the abdomen. Spinning the dubbing very tight will allow you to form a nicely segmented abdomen.
No weight in the fly?
Sorry, I was going to make a note on that and forgot. One can add weight as lead wire under the body, lead eyes, cones, or beads.
Awesome fly! Id consider a small ammount of dubbing on it’s arms but this works just as well :-D