streamerfisher1
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crayfish patterns
Looking to do some smallmouth fishing with the fly rod and am looking for some simple recipes for tying up some crayfish patterns and maybe some good smallmouth streamers any info would be greatly appriceated kind of new to tying so nothing real difficult please and thank you in advance
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Cold
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/17 21:50:01
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About as simple as it gets is a weighted brown woolly bugger, maybe with some orange coloring thrown in.
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steelhound
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/17 23:33:48
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brown wooly bugger olive tail
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SilverKype
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 07:43:37
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drake has a good one. Suckers shy away from it too..
My reports and advice are for everyone to enjoy, not just the paying customers.
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doubletaper
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 08:10:56
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streamerfisher, i've tried different crayfish patterns for both trout and smallies. i've tied them a lot of different ways spending much time in their construction. i've caught a few on some of the patterns but as cold said, a weighted brown bugger of some sort will take smallies with no doubt.
i use a copper bead and i rib my buggers with barred brown hackle. on some of the buggers i'll use varigated chenille for the body.
i'm sure an olive tail will add a little more color to it.
i'll have to give that a try steelhound.
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Cold
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 08:32:40
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Though this is listed as a carp fly, I can't see why it wouldn't be equally effective for smallies. http://tinyurl.com/4chnyzd Probably more suited to slower water than fast, though.
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D-nymph
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 09:23:35
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This works for me. krystal flash and rubber antennae Partridge claws olive dubbing body Olive hackle, palmered lead eyes. rabbit fur spun in a dubbing loop and wrapped around the lead eyes  add: It's a pain in the butt to tie. I've yet to find an easy/fast crawfish pattern that isn't a wooly bugger.
post edited by D-nymph - 2011/02/18 09:25:29
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tippecanoe
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 09:38:03
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used to catch baby crayfish when i was a kid in our spring behind the house. they were a light olive color and had orange/red claws. I have tried a few times to work up a pattern for them for trout. Best to date is probably best compared to a reverse scud on a straight hook with orange rabbit fur claws.....not a great reference, but it gives you the idea. tie it on a size 12 or 14. It is a royal bich to get the nymph skin tied in on the wrong side of the hook though. Seems to fish alright nymphing, but for all I know they think it is a scud or something. Maybe I will post a pic this evening sometime.
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Cold
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 12:32:37
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It is a royal bich to get the nymph skin tied in on the wrong side of the hook though. +1 I hate the Thin Skin portion of the smallie craw that I tie. It works well, though, so I keep doing it. Tippe, maybe a woven body might be a workaround?
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luvinbluegills
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 13:12:16
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My favorite is my brown Notta Bugger in size 10 with a touch of gold or copper Krystal Flash. It catches the Smallies and Carp like it too!
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bingsbaits
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 18:00:14
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"There is a pleasure in Angling that no one knows but the Angler himself". WB
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streamerfisher1
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/18 20:30:14
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Ok thanks everybody sounds like some good info and looks like I will be at the vice this weekend seeing what I can create out of the info you all gave me. Bings those look like some awsome ties and I always enjoy the pics you post. Thanks again everybody and hope everybody has a great and successful fishing season.
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Cold
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/19 22:49:29
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Here's that bunny craw i was talking about, tied on, i think, a 2/0. This is an early version, and its gone through a few updates, but this is the basic idea: 
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fishenfool46
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/20 08:33:16
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I didn't say these are the ten suggestions signed God
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Rickerd
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/02/28 15:01:03
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You guys are from PA right? You gotta try the Clouser Crayfish. After you get the hang of tying them, they only take 10mins or less. I use them under a hopper pattern for bass in streams and ponds, from ice out to thanksgiving, they work.
Rickerd
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ElonDO-fishing
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/07 10:52:30
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I second the Clouser Crayfish pattern. The first few do take some time to tie, but after that you can crank them out fairly easy like Rickerd said. It's definitely worth taking a look. I took a fly-tying class with Bobby Clouser Jr @ Harriburgh Bass Pro recently & he ties them with Rainy's Stretch Flex to give a more realistic profile as well.
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ElonDO-fishing
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/07 10:52:40
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posted twice by accident
post edited by ElonDO-fishing - 2011/03/07 10:53:18
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DJ2007
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/09 00:06:21
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ORIGINAL: Cold
Here's that bunny craw i was talking about, tied on, i think, a 2/0. This is an early version, and its gone through a few updates, but this is the basic idea:
Amateur observation. Shouldn't the lead eyes be at the back (tail/hook eye) of the pattern? Otherwise, I really like it!
post edited by DJ2007 - 2011/03/09 00:08:46
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Cold
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/09 07:21:53
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I put them where they are to make the overall movement of the fly more "wiggly" and less "bouncy" (like a jig). You could put them in either place, but the eye placement, for me, was intentional.
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doubletaper
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/09 10:12:14
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DJ, most crayfish patterns are tied this way to imitate a fleeing crayfish. if one wants to imitate one that is crawling about than the eyes and claws can be put near the eye of the hook.
post edited by doubletaper - 2011/03/09 10:16:02
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DJ2007
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RE: crayfish patterns
2011/03/10 23:02:08
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Interesting, May have to give that a shot. How do you fish one in general, like a jig, dead drift, swing? Cold did you tie the bunny hair down around the eyes?
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