Bodkin / Patterns

Dave's Cricket

Terrestrial · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 3x-long dry-fly hook, 8-12
  • Thread Black 6/0

Materials

  • Body Black ostrich herl (Black yarn or dubbing)
  • Body hackle Black hackle (One feather, palmered and trimmed)
  • Underwing Black ostrich herl (Dyed goose or turkey quill section)
  • Legs Black ostrich herl (Knotted pheasant-tail fibers)
  • Head/collar Black ostrich herl (Black deer hair, spun)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and start black thread at the bend.
  2. Tie in a black hackle by the tip and a length of black yarn for the body.
  3. Wrap the yarn forward to the 65% mark, then palmer the hackle over it and trim the hackle flat top and bottom, leaving stubs as legs.
  4. Tie a black quill-section underwing flat over the body, reaching to the bend.
  5. Add two knotted pheasant-tail legs, one along each side, kicking outward.
  6. Spin a clump of black deer hair at the front for the collar and head, packing it tight.
  7. Whip finish at the eye, snip, then trim the deer hair to a blunt cricket head, leaving a collar sweeping back.

Tying videos

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