Recipe
Hook: Hanak H400BL #10
Bead: TFC Slotted 1/8″
Thread: Uni-Thread 6/0
Mandibles: Pheasant Tail
Legs: Venison Dubbing
Abdomen: Hareline Ice Dubbing
Ribbing: thread
Back: Fish Skull Crayfish pre-cut back
Epoxy: Loon Clear Fly Finish Thick
Instruction/Notes
1. Insert bead on the hook and secure it in the vise. Start the thread and
cover the shank in open turns to provide a secure base.
2: Tear a thick clump of pheasant tail off with the tips aligned and tie in
at the bend. Secure them down the bend to provide a downward slope to the
tips. The tips should be shorter than a standard tail; no more than 2/3 of
the gape.
3. Secure the PT butts down the shank all the way to the bead. Cut at the
bead leaving a stub long enough to fill the bead’s slot. This will stop the
bead from rotating out of position. Bring the thread back to the bend.
4. Make a dubbing loop and wax it. Use plenty of wax as Venison dubbing is
very coarse and needs a lot of control.
5. Insert a clump of dubbing into the loop and spin. Wind this from the
bend of the hook to a place on the shank just above the point of the hook.
Stroke the fibers back with every wrap so as not to wrap on top of them.
Tie off and bring the thread back to the bead.
6. Dub the Ice dubbing from the bead back to the thorax where the Venison
Dubbing ends. Leave the thread hanging between the 2 dubbings.
7. Pierce the crayfish back in the middle of the thorax region in line with
the forward edge of the claws. Remove the hook from the vise and slide the
strip down to the materials. Put the fly back in the vise.
8. The thread should be lined up with the first segment of the back. Wrap
twice here, and wrap back to the bead with 1 wrap in each segment of the
back. Whip finish and cut the thread.
9. Cover the back with the UV epoxy and hit it with the Loon UV Power Light
for 20 seconds. Dip a Q-Tip in Isopropyl Alcohol or Methyl Hydrate and
clean off the epoxy. This removes the tacky finish.
10. Catch a fish with it!
