Fly Tying: Hogan's Creature

Crayfish are a favourite prey item for zander, perch, carp, catfish, black bass, and big trout - and they can all be targeted with a fly rod right here in Eruope. Tying imitations of crayfish has long-standing traditions in the US, and here is a great crayfish pattern developed by Hogan Brown.

By Dominic Bruno

Hook: AHREX TP650 Bent Shank Streamer Hook

Thread: Veevus 50 D GSP

Butt Dubbing: Cohen’s Carp Dub- Crazy Orange

Legs and antenna: Spinner bait Skirt (RubberLegs)

Claws: Hareline Shimmer Rabbit Strips – Crawfish Orange with Silver

Body: EP Minnow Brush- 1.5” UV Speckled Brown

Head: FlyMen Fish Skull Helmet Brown Small with UV Fly Finish Thin, UV Colored Fly Finish – Hot Orange

Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that are also known as crawfish or crawdads depending on location. Crayfish will spend most of their lives hiding underneath rocks and debris for protection from predators as they make for an excellent meal for many fish, including trout. On occasion, they can be too big of a food source for some, but larger fish can easily take down a crayfish.

When startled, crayfish will flee by using their tails to propel them backwards. This evasive movement can often trigger a predatory response from trout, however they can also make for an easy meal while immobilized during the molting process which makes both dead drifting and stripping crayfish patterns effective techniques for pursuing these large trout.

Hogan’s Creature is a small, simple crayfish streamer that is great for Spring and early-Summer black bass as well as any other crayfish-eating fish species in your local waters - including zander, carp,

Start by securing your thread and working it back to the bend of the hook. Veevus GSP 50D in black works great for this fly, but any thread will work.

Tie in a small dubbing ball at the bend of the hook using Cohen’s Carp Dub in Cray Zee Orange or whichever dubbing you’d prefer. Tease the dubbing out to create a slight tail.

Tie in one strand of black/white rubber legs in front of the dubbing ball, or whichever color you prefer.

Tie in the first of two claws using Hareline Shimmer Rabbit Strips in Crawfish Orange with Silver.

Repeat step 4 on the opposite side, creating a pair of claws.

Take three pairs of rubber legs and tie them in front of the rabbit strips. Figure 8 the thread between the legs like you would with a stonefly pattern to help separate the legs.

Tie in an EP Minnow Brush - 1.5” UV Speckled Brown or similar in front of the claws and behind the rubber legs.

Palmer the Minnow Brush once behind the legs, then forward with one wrap between each set of legs. Wrap the minnow brush in front of the legs up to the front of the hook. Tie the brush off just before the eye of the hook.

Using your scissors, shave the Minnow Brush body back to the first set of legs. Shave the entire bottom portion of the fly (pictured on top in the vise).

Apply Loon Outdoors UV Fly Finish before adding a Small Flymen Fish Skull Sculpin Helmet in Brown to the front of the fly. Apply Loon Outdoors UV Colored Fly Finish in Hot Orange behind the helmet on the bottom of the fly.