Bodkin / Patterns

Kraft's Clawdad

Streamer · Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Heavy-wire streamer/bass hook (Mustad R74 / 79580), #2-8, #2-8 (also #2/0 for bass)
  • Thread Color to match body (brown, olive, tan or black) 210 denier (UTC 210)

Materials

  • Eyes Lead dumbbell eyes (or orange bead-chain), sized to hook (1 pair)
  • Claws/tail Chuck Kraft (Eastern Trophies) Clawdad chamois/Ultrasuede tail, color to match (1)
  • Legs Round rubber legs, medium, color to match (2-3 pairs)
  • Body Medium chenille (or Cactus/Estaz chenille), color to match tail (1)

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread near the hook eye and tie a pair of lead dumbbell eyes on top of the shank with tight figure-eight wraps so the fly rides hook-point-up; add cement. (Weighting the front makes the crayfish dive and dart.)
  2. Wrap the thread to the bend. Tie in the pre-shaped Clawdad chamois/Ultrasuede tail at the bend so the split claws trail rearward; add a small bead of gel super glue between the tail and where the body will start so the tail stays put and kicks like a real crayfish.
  3. Tie in the chenille at the bend. Also tie in the round rubber legs in 2-3 pairs spaced along the shank (or add them as you wrap the body) so they splay out to the sides.
  4. Wrap the chenille forward in touching turns to build the body, working the rubber legs out to the sides, up to and around the dumbbell eyes.
  5. Figure-eight the chenille around the eyes and tie off just behind the hook eye; trim.
  6. Trim the rubber legs to length (roughly a shank length). Whip finish behind the eye and cement.
  7. The finished fly rides hook-up with claws trailing; when stripped it dives head-first like a fleeing crayfish.

Tying videos

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