Crayfish patterns?

[72Twenty]

So, my local riv is FULL of crayfish. I mean, I can't hardly avoid stepping on them when I wade. This would explain the reports of BIG browns, even though this is a pretty small river.

My question for you guys concerning crayfish patterns: Should I stick with the more abstract patterns (modified woolly buggers with rubber legs, split tails, etc.) or do you think the 'realistic' looking crayfish patterns are the way to go?

My local shop has some very realistic looking crayfish patterns (more advanced that what I think I could tie at this point in my experience), right down to the claws and eyes, but they are pretty expensive.

Just curious for your thoughts on this...

[Pow4Brains]

I've found an Autumn Splendor works pretty well.

[Andy_B]

For the rivers around here, the color is more important than the anything else.

Size comes in to play as well, match that, maybe throw them a little bigger to draw out the hogs.

[Gnarlito]

So, my local riv is FULL of crayfish. I mean, I can't hardly avoid stepping on them when I wade. This would explain the reports of BIG browns, even though this is a pretty small river.

My question for you guys concerning crayfish patterns: Should I stick with the more abstract patterns (modified woolly buggers with rubber legs, split tails, etc.) or do you think the 'realistic' looking crayfish patterns are the way to go?

My local shop has some very realistic looking crayfish patterns (more advanced that what I think I could tie at this point in my experience), right down to the claws and eyes, but they are pretty expensive.

Just curious for your thoughts on this...

Realistic crayfish patterns are nice for fly-tying expos and fly swaps, but unless you are fishing a spring creek or tailwater where the fish use pattern-recognition software, I think they are probably overkill in most situations.

My home river has a ton of smallies and a ton of crayfish, and black and purple rubber-legged woolly buggers catch as many smallies as do crayfish patterns that have complex claws and eyes and all the rest. My experience also has been that fancy patterns get chewed up pretty quickly anyway. If you start with something realistic, it's always going to end up looking impressionistic after a few fish.

[72Twenty]

Thanks.

I was going to tie up some crayfish-ish woolly buggers, but I think I am going to tie in the dumb-bell looking weight so that it sits hook-up to reduce snags. I will mostly be fishing these in mud/gravel bottoms, swinging them into the undercut banks to lure out the brownies.

[schwerty]

I've found that color is usually enough but the realistic patterns do some serious damage in spring creek style waters and lakes. If you want to spin something yourself that is more realistic than a standard brownish bugger, add two split sections of marabou or bunny fur on the head of the fly. I like to add LOTS of lead for the obvious reason.....crawfish are usually hanging out ON the bottom.

[lemon boy]

[obvious advice]
You should be taking crawfish home with you to eat then.*

*check your local rules and regulations.

[pechelman]

match the colors to your stream
these variants are super easy to tie and work like a charm
ive got an s'load of large and small mouths on these guys

the hook eye is on the left side and the bend on the right fyi

the antennae and eyes are nice touches but not needed
i like to use something really durable for the back
think like glossy plastic or something

[SKISC]

[obvious advice]
You should be taking crawfish home with you to eat then.*

*check your local rules and regulations.

Most definitely excellent advice.

[Smokey McPole]

I've got some really realistic looking crayfish patterns, but I've never caught anything on them. Usually just use Wooly's.

[72Twenty]

match the colors to your stream
these variants are super easy to tie and work like a charm
ive got an s'load of large and small mouths on these guys

the hook eye is on the left side and the bend on the right fyi

the antennae and eyes are nice touches but not needed
i like to use something really durable for the back
think like glossy plastic or something

I really like this idea... pretty realistic but seemingly easy (relatively) to tie...

edit: Do you have a recipe on this guy?

[pechelman]

recipe is generally whatever i have on hand

usually start with a brown or red thread base
wind on 1/2 or so of the shank from the eyelet with lead so the fly with bob down like a craw looking up
spin on some dubbing to about half way
tie in a generously large hackle
tie on the eyes and antennae if you want now
get a couple nice bunches of deer hair with gaurds
tie in, seperate, lay back over the deal, wrap it as shown to create an abdomen and segmented tail
tie off a head, whip finish, and if you feel inclined
heavily coat the back of hair and head with glossy cement

or something like that
ive seen some more complex methods where you tie in a very long bunch of hair to build up a body first and have it pointing forward (sort of like tying a humpy pattern iirc)
then do the lead, body, hackles, eyes, and antennae
pull the deer hair back to the bend, tie off, seperate into 2 bunches, flare em outward
then tie it back to make the abdomen and segment the tail

really whatever floats your boat

really i think the only real trick is to get the claws\hackles proportioned correctly and the hook eye heavily weighted so it sits correctly in the water and has a good action

id also say that stopping 1 thread and starting again might be in order
maybe tie in a copper wire to segment the tail.
whip finish that thread, cut off.
wrap the copper back to the eye
tie in another thread
secure and tie down the copper
whip finish
cement
whala

definitely dont skimp on them cement when you find the right pattern\technique
cause it works really well

[Pow4Brains]

match the colors to your stream
these variants are super easy to tie and work like a charm
ive got an s'load of large and small mouths on these guys

the hook eye is on the left side and the bend on the right fyi

the antennae and eyes are nice touches but not needed
i like to use something really durable for the back
think like glossy plastic or something

I like that too, thanks. It looks like there is plenty of room for some lead wire around the body.