Fly Tying a Simple Crayfish (Don Brown Crawdad Fly Pattern)

Рет қаралды 11,616

3 жыл бұрын

Created by Don Brown and featured in Dick Stewart's "Flies for Bass and Panfish," this is one of the simpler crawdad or crayfish fly patterns out there. Can be tied unweighted for lake bass and panfish or weighted for trout in faster water.
Hook: #4-10 2x long, straight or curved
Thread: Black
Claws: Red squirrel tail
Body: Brown yarn or chenille
Legs: Palmered brown hackle
Shellback: Brown turkey or goose slip
** Some of the popular books used here: **
Dave Hughes, "Essential Trout Flies," 2017, amzn.to/3lbCZYX
Dave Hughes, "Wet Flies," 2015, amzn.to/33ac3lQ
David Klausmeyer's "Favorite Flies," 2020, amzn.to/3oeSNMa
Morgan Lyle's "Simple Flies," 2015, amzn.to/3qB1zW1
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Mike Valla's "Tying the Founding Flies," 2015, amzn.to/354oSir
Mike Valla's "Classic Streamer Fly Box," 2020, amzn.to/3n3Vakf
Randle Scott Stetzer's "Flies, the Best One Thousand," 1992, amzn.to/34Q15mp
Terry Hellekson's "Popular Fly Patterns," 1976, amzn.to/2L4IyvS
Dick Stewart's, "Flies for Bass and Panfish," 1992, amzn.to/3aGpFs1
Fly Pattern Encyclopedia: amzn.to/34U0rUe
Savage Flies is a project with the mission of encouraging and teaching fly tying to as many people as possible. The channel is named after one of my western Maryland homewaters, the Savage River. I've been uploading at least three new videos a week (usually Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
Thanks for stopping by. Please let me know in the comments if you have any tying tips you would like to share or if you have any patterns you would like to see tied here.

Пікірлер: 98

@surlycrosscheck1 9 күн бұрын

I’m just getting back into fly fishing after a near 30 year hiatus. This is the very crawfish fly pattern I used to tie. So glad I found this. I still have several in my summer bass fly box. I used to NAIL bass with this pattern. Hoping I do it all again when I head back out in the water. As a side note, a lot has changed in 30 years. I learned this pattern from a senior fly fisherman friend back when I was 19 years old or so and it was one I kept going back to. Easy and it works. Now, there’s this thing called the internet and on it you have KZfaq where you can find EVERYTHING you’d ever need. LOL Thanks again for the refresher.

@SavageFlies 8 күн бұрын

Haha! Great comment my friend and welcome back to the sport! I've only tried two crawfish patterns; this one and one with zonker strips for the claws. But I still like the looks of this squirrel one. :-)

@toxichank6960 2 ай бұрын

My son fishes for bass in south NJ. Finds crawdads with blue claws! Will have to give blue a try. Going to make some today in brown. Thanks for a simple pattern.

@marshallbaldwin8960 Жыл бұрын

After looking at other crayfish flies, this one is much simply and looks better. Thank you Sir Matt.

@alexbutler6147 9 ай бұрын

Nice job with this I'm gonna try and tie me one or two of these up

@PreppingWithSarge 3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow. The turkey feather is really convincing! Nice technique

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Sarge!

@kennethjanetnapper4285 3 жыл бұрын

Nice! Love fishing crawfish pattern for bass. Will add eyes for sure. Thanks for video

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kenneth! And yep, I think if I do this one again I might put some monofilament eyes on it.

@davehall2160 3 жыл бұрын

That is a cool looking crayfish pattern, simple and easy Thanks Matt

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dave! Always appreciate it my friend. :-)

@martyrothman3933 3 жыл бұрын

Good morning it looks great

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Marty!

@gregleak5134 2 жыл бұрын

I have watched this two times and learn alittle more each time

@SavageFlies 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you Greg! I don't think I've even watched it twice. :-)

@gregleak5134 2 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies now you got me tickled

@PiscatorFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Cool little cray pattern. Thanks for sharing it Matt.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

You bet Darren. Thanks for watching!

@easttnflyfreak2870 3 жыл бұрын

Very cool tye .Thanks for sharing Matt!!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching James! Always appreciate it my friend. :-)

@stevebest4867 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks again Matt, been looking for a simple crayfish pattern and this maybe it. looking to try my luck at some bass fishing this summer!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Steve! For crawdad patterns this is as easy as they get. 😁

@jimholland1592 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! Looks amazing 👍

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jim! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

@leemowers9395 3 жыл бұрын

Nice crawfish pattern, I will tie up some of these. Thanks Matt.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Lee! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

@OttoJulian_ 3 жыл бұрын

It looks quiet real! I was wondering how the back was so shiny. That resin is the reason why it looks "yummy" for a fish,

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, I think the big fish love jambalaya and crawdad pie. :-)

@cheflexx778 3 жыл бұрын

Might have to tie this one next. Saw some crawdads where I was fishing this morning and i probably could've used this pattern.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah Alex- it's about the easiest crawdad out there. Check out this book if you're going to be doing a lot of warm water fishing: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bJygpt15q-DSlXk.html

@jgirard5930 3 жыл бұрын

Great job Matt! 👍

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Appreciate you watching my friend. :-)

@laytonmarvin3790 3 жыл бұрын

Good looking fly and nice job on the tie. These tied on a 6 or 4 will be killer for the small mouth in the Delaware. Thanks Matt for sharing

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Layton! I'm thinking of doing some kayak fishing for the warm water fish down here this year. I could see this pattern working in the shallow inlets and coves stripping it a few inches at a time just under the surface. We'll see!

@bolatk1517 3 жыл бұрын

Hello Matt, I am happy to watch you channel, you have an extensive literature, and regular issues, thank. Today I decided to reload the videos on my channel with the names in English, to attract more viewers. Sincerely, Bolat.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Bolat! I know it may be hard to translate exactly from Russian to English, but I would recommend putting your titles in both English and Russian. For example... the fly you call "мушка бокоплав" when I translate in Google, it says "fly amphib" in English. We would call that a scud or freshwater shrimp. I would use a title like: "мушка бокоплав - Freshwater Shrimp/Scud Fly Pattern" If you put the English words "Fly Pattern" in your title, it will be seen my more viewers in the United States. **** Сделайте заголовок на английском и русском языках. **** Good luck!

@edwardthornton1031 3 жыл бұрын

Nice fly Matt. Will have to tie a few for the fly box. Thanks for sharing the fly. Nice job Matt. Thanks for the INFO on J. Stockard Catalog.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

You bet Butch. Appreciate you watching my friend!

@mhanson4972 3 жыл бұрын

Great tie, Matt!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it my friend. Thanks for watching!

@huntingmissouri5420 3 жыл бұрын

Nice pattern thanks for sharing Matt!!!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

You got it Franky. Thanks for watching my friend! :-)

@JamesMcCutcheon 3 жыл бұрын

This is my kind of Crayfish pattern. There is a small stream in Tennessee that has so many of the small crayfish in May that the trout are fully keyed in on these crayfish. It is hard to get them to take anything. This pattern looks just right. Laurel Hill Wild Life Management area. The Little Buffalo River is a short but really nice trophy trout section and this is where the crayfish are abundant. On the lower areas, it turns a little warmer and smallmouth are the game.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Jim- thanks! I've never heard of the Little Buffalo River but just checked it out and that's getting down there close to Alabama. I imagine that could be some nice smallmouth water in the warmer months. Maybe this simple little crawdad will do the trick for you this year. :-)

@barrylloyd8554 3 жыл бұрын

Another great tie Matt.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Barry! Appreciate it my friend. :-)

@chipblanton753 3 жыл бұрын

Nice job ! I like that one . I don’t have any crawfish patterns.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Chip! I didn't until tying this one so now I've got something to toss as soon as I find some bass water this spring. :-)

@mikeney5113 3 жыл бұрын

Nice.very cool.pattern sure it will catch fish.looks good.thanks matt!!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it Mike. Thanks for watching my friend!

@stevetrybalski3082 3 жыл бұрын

Nice simple pattern!! I tie something similar with a few changes in shell back material, oh and some pheasant body features for a tail. Matt keep up the great work and have a great day!!

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Steve! Dave Whitlock has a crayfish pattern like you mention, with a small feather cut like a fan for the tail. I think it looks pretty cool and may try that one soon. And I think this one would look better with a tapered, segmented body but I kept it simple for this first crawdad in the bass series. Plenty of time to get crazy later. :-)

@HillsandGills Жыл бұрын

Man you gave me an ideal for a jig for river Smallies just subbed like your style laid back and not acting like a I know all and all must be perfect but a man that enjoys tying and very good a teaching. And love the videos of showing materials you can pick up at craft shops that's how I've always been myself an attitude if it works use it. Great channel you've taught me a lot and been enjoying the playlist Thumbs up

@SavageFlies Жыл бұрын

Well thank you my friend! I appreciate the kind words and welcome to the channel. 👍

@jamesnichols8893 3 жыл бұрын

Nicely done Thank you

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it James. Thanks for watching!

@edwardchavez5627 3 жыл бұрын

Good Morning Sir Matt, awesome looking crayfish fly a must have in texas I would say. Now I have to find some red Squirrel tail. Thanks you Sir Matt for sharing I really like this one.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

You bet Edward. I think you can tie this with regular squirrel tail and it will look and work fine. Just won't have that reddish tint to it. :-)

@saundratate6367 3 жыл бұрын

Great looking tie! I will be adding some of these to my box. Look out brown trout...Keith

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it Keith! Thanks for watching my friend. :-)

@paulpaquette779 3 жыл бұрын

Nice Fly

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it Paul. Thanks for watching my friend!

@gdreilly 3 жыл бұрын

I haven't tied thar fly pattern since I was a kid in the late 70's

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Back in my youth, I would catch a bucket of crawdads and fish them live on old Eagle Claw bait hooks. I fooled a few bass and even some catfish back then. :-)

@troutaddictnl7696 3 жыл бұрын

Beauty of a fly sir!! If only they would work here lol. When im using squirrel tail, i usually add a touch of wax to my thread, seems to help it grip the hair and not let it slip as much.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

You know Chris, I always remind myself to put wax on my thread before using squirrel hair, and then I always forget to! But good call and thanks for the reminder. :-)

@troutaddictnl7696 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies no problem sir. You'll have to get some of thst wax that sticks to your finger like David mcphail uses. That way it's always there to remind ya lol.

@tomharvey7436 3 жыл бұрын

Cool fly Matt thank you for sharing that might work here in a smaller size it will certainly cause a bit of disturbance in the water

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tom! I'm hoping to give it a try in some of my bass water here in Maryland too. :-)

@bigdaddy99929 3 жыл бұрын

Cool looking fly. Might even work up here. 🙂

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Ha! I imagine you have a few crawdads up there. 😉

@bigdaddy99929 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies lots of shrimp!! 🙂

@harryjoesather6539 3 жыл бұрын

i need some of them hooks guess a order to j stockard soon .... lol....cool pattern ..... great tying as always .... and as always i will be watching...have a awesome week matt...thanks see ya joe..

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Joe- these were some cheaper Saber hooks I got from the Flyshack. If you ever order from them, this is the hook: flyshack.com/DisplayItem.aspx?ItemID=23572&LCI=X

@harryjoesather6539 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies that was the very first place i ever ordered from it was a set of trading cards with the fly on them and materials list on the just like baseball cards ...pretty cool ..thanks matt .

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve got those same cards! That’s where I learned the Golden Girl. 😁

@harryjoesather6539 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies i have set # 1 still have to get set # 2...lol...that's funny we both have them..lol

@MVthis 3 жыл бұрын

Cool pattern I tie it with green hair and hackle

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

That's interesting Mike. Why green? Just to give it a little more eye-catching appeal?

@MVthis 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies well when I purchased my squirrel tail i did like the green a little more so thats wy I tie it green i do like the natural

@iklink 9 ай бұрын

Would u cut off the hackle fibers sticking up and why or why not?

@jeffreystone7327 2 жыл бұрын

Incredible job. Great looking Crawfish. We all know how successful this one will be. In mentioning the slickness of the Squirrel hair? Could a person use the technique you have shown us with the Buck tail hair? Where you use a couple of wraps around just the hair, before tying it to the hook? To help keep it from spinning? This pattern will have to be a fish catching machine. Thank you Matt. Great job.

@SavageFlies 2 жыл бұрын

Jeff- absolutely! In fact, I'll often do that with bucktail when tying a hairwing streamer. And when I remember to, I'll try to put some wax on my thread before to just make it a little more tacky.

@stanleymclain402 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome build. You read my mind. I was just looking for this earlier today and bam here you are. Great videos. You have made my mind up on the peak for my first vise. Can you recommend a good starter pack on materials and tools. For crappie and pan fish I don't have trout here in Indiana. thanks

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Stanley. I appreciate the note! One of the better materials kits I've picked up in the last few years was this one by Muskoka (amzn.to/3dj67wH). It's just feathers and dubbing, no fur which you'll definitely want a few patches of deer or squirrel for panfish flies. For tools, I'm partial to Dr. Slick. It looks like they just revamped their kit for this year (amzn.to/3djIbJp). Umpqua has a great looking kit too but I've never seen it, just a few of the individual tools. Thanks again for the note. Welcome to the channel and let me know if you ever have any questions. Cheers. -Matt

@stanleymclain402 3 жыл бұрын

@@SavageFlies Thank you very much. With so many tools and supplies out there. For a new person it's hard to know what your buying is or is not quality. Thanks again and keep up on the videos.

@hughiegraves8901 3 жыл бұрын

I tie a lot of hair bugs spinning and stacking deer hair for bass.havent tried the crawfish gotta give a few of these a go.goid tie matt.👍

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Hugh! Well you're a master at stacking and spinning deer hair. I've got a lot more practice to go. :-)

@ColinD0131 3 жыл бұрын

In my area of Illinois in the Ponds I fish the crawfish I see have tan legs and olive to olive brown. But in the rivers,streams and creeks tend to very in size and color. Also crawfish turn blue when molting there skin. I am guessing why black and blue combo works well. Not all crawfish trun blue but all I've seen are claws of the crawfish

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Good point Colin! I'll bet the fish love to eat the molting crayfish as I'm sure they're a much easier meal for them. The ones in the warm waters down here seem to be tan to a light gray, and the cold water river ones have a bit more red and orange.

@jamesvatter5729 3 жыл бұрын

Surprised that one isn't tied to fish inverted. I can see an old brown trout gulping that if drifted in front of him.

@SavageFlies 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah Jim. I have seen a few that are supposed to be tied inverted. I've never done that and am not sure exactly how, other than maybe putting some heavy dumbbell eyes on the top of the hook, back between the claws and shellback. I suppose that would cause it to ride inverted in the water.

@FlyTyer1948 3 жыл бұрын

Since I was fishing very rocky lakes in Maine for trout, I have only tied a crawfish pattern inverted to avoid snagging bottom. All the crayfish I saw were black, so I tied mine in black & used black feathers instead of fur for the claws. I used small Clouser style eyes tied in just above the curve of a streamer hook & 2 lengths of wire weights along the top of the hook to sink the fly & get it to turn over. The body was tied on the underside of the hook as in a Clouser.