The segmented body is important on crayfish flies.
The crayfish is a freshwater crustacean that is present in lakes and rivers. The crayfish is an important food source for trout, bass, pike and other freshwater species that require a large amount of calories throughout the year. The crayfish is especially vulnerable when the hard exoskeleton is shed for a new shell. The body of the crayfish is soft during the transition and it is easily digested by fish. Flies are tied to represent the crayfish by imitating the segmented body and the two claws.
Instructions
1. Clamp the hook in the fly-tying vise and begin wrapping the thread at the eye of the hook. Make consecutive thread wraps until you reach the eye of the hook. The thread creates a base on the hook shank and prevents materials from slipping.
2. Apply a light dab of dubbing wax to the thread and press a layer of crayfish dubbing on the thread. Twist the dubbing between your thumb and middle finger to spin it on the thread. Wrap the dubbing around the bend of the hook to create a dubbing ball.
3. Strip roughly 20 pheasant tail fibers from a feather. Measure the tips of the fibers to create a tail at two-thirds the length of the hook shank. Hold the fibers on one side of the dubbing ball and make six thread wraps to secure them in place. Repeat the process on the opposite side of the dubbing ball and cut away the excess base fibers to complete the tail section of the fly. The two clumps of pheasant tail resemble the claws on a crayfish.
4. Hold one set of dumbbell eyes immediately behind the dubbing ball. Make four firm thread wraps around the center rod that connects the two eyes. Adjust the position of the eyes with your fingers until they are level and may 10 figure-eight wraps to secure the eyes on top of the hook.
5. Place the thread immediately behind the eyes and cut a 1-foot section of medium copper wire from a spool. Hold one end of the wire behind the eyes and make 10 tight thread wraps to secure it on the hook.
6. Remove the hook from the vise, turn it upside down and replace it in the vise. Cut a thick section of pheasant tail fibers from a feather and hold the tips immediately behind the dumbbell eyes. Make six thread wraps to secure the tips on the bottom of the hook shank.
7. Apply a long stroke of dubbing wax to the fly-tying thread and cover it with crayfish dubbing. Twist the dubbing between your thumb and middle finger to spin it on the thread. Wrap the dubbed thread down the hook shank until you reach the eye of the hook and stop the thread.
8. Pull the pheasant tail fibers from the dumbbell eyes to the eye of the hook. The fibers will cover the bottom of the hook shank to resemble the shell back of a crayfish. Make six tight thread wraps to secure the fibers at the eye of the hook.
9. Wrap the copper wire down the body of the fly in a diagonal pattern to segment the fly. Stop at the eye of the hook and make six thread wraps to secure the wire. Cut the excess wire flush to the hook shank.
10. Use a whip finishing tool to tie five half-hitch knots in the thread. Cut the thread flush to the hook shank.
Related posts
The crayfish or crawdad is a favorite food for many different species of fish. Every species--from trout and panfish to bass, salmon and steelhead--love them. The crayfish is also an easy fly to t...
Mayfly nymphs occupy fast and slow water environments.The mayfly is a common aquatic insect and food source for fish. The insect is especially important for trout living in cold water environments...
Sculpin live in cool clear water.The sculpin is a small fish with a large round head and body that quickly tapers to a narrow tail. Most species are found in saltwater with some found in cool clea...
Tie a BeadheadBeadhead flies have become very popular because they allow the fly to sink without having to add split shot to the line. Whether it is the shiny finish on the beads or the bug lookin...
With practice and the right materials, you can tie your own red salmon flies right at home.Sockeye salmon are also known as red salmon because they turn bright red when they return to the streams...
