Bodkin / Patterns

RIO's Cray Cray

Nymph · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Wide-gap jig/streamer hook with a sharp bend (Ahrex TP650, ~26 degree bend), 4-8
  • Thread Hot orange 6/0

Materials

  • Rooster hackle (American hackle cape) Orange grizzly rooster hackle (3 feathers for the cones)
  • Barred fibers (Voodoo) Orange permanent marker (clump (antennae/legs))
  • Pre-made crayfish/shrimp eyes (1 pair)
  • Rubber legs (stiff) (1-2 strands per side (large antennae/claws))
  • Magnum rabbit strip Black/orange magnum rabbit strip (claws/arms)
  • UV resin (for the eyes and head)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the wide-gap jig hook and start hot orange thread just ahead of the hook point; wrap back into the bend, then forward again and trim the tag.
  2. Select a medium orange-grizzly rooster hackle and tie it in by the tip, then palmer it forward with touching wraps over about a fifth of the shank and tie it off.
  3. Preen all the hackle fibers rearward and take a few loose wraps over the front of them, then crank down to sweep them back into a cone shape. This is the foundation of the fly.
  4. Take a small clump (8-9 strands) of orange barred fibers, fold them in half over the thread and tie them on top so they splay to each side as antennae; trim the inner strands shorter for a tapered look.
  5. Tie a set of pre-made crayfish eyes crosswise on top of the shank.
  6. Tie in stiff rubber legs low on each side as the large antennae/claw feelers, splaying them rearward and building up bulk toward the rear of the hook.
  7. Tie in a second orange-grizzly hackle and palmer it forward another fifth of the shank (about eight wraps), preening the fibers back each turn to form a second cone.
  8. Continue adding hackle cones forward in the same way, then tie in the magnum black/orange rabbit strips as the crayfish claws/arms.
  9. Coat the eyes with UV resin and cure, then whip finish and add a final drop of resin to the head.

Tying videos

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