Tying Directions:
- Wrap the thread from the hook eye to the bend as usual.
- Leave 3" of lead wire free as you start to wrap the lead from the
bend to the eye. Overlap the 3" tag end of the wire at the bend to form
a carapace.
- Cut a strip of furry foam 3/8" - 1/2" wide. Taper one end to
form the head. Tie the strip in by the nose (tapered end) at the bend with
the strip hanging out beyond the bend.
- Tie in a length of leech yarn at the nose.
- Cut a bunch of squirrel tail, taper the butts, and tie it in as the right
claw between the bend and the lead. Follow the same procedure and tie in a
second bigger bunch as the left claw, or vice versa. Wrap each claw at the
base separately, circle the bunch separately, and then figure eight them
apart. Apply head cement to the bunches and wrap over them. Take the thread
to the end of the lead over wrap.
- Wrap the leech yarn to form an underbody from the nose to the end of the over wrapped
lead. Finish wrapping the leech yarn to the tail and tie off and cut.
- Double the furry foam strip back over the hook, between the claws and wrap
it down with three wraps to define the carapace. Spiral back to form body
segments to the tail just behind the eye of the hook and wrap securely. Tie
off and whip finish.
- Trim the tail to shape and cut off excess furry foam.
Notes:
This crawdad swims backwards, so the eye of the hook will be under the tail.
The tying procedure may seem backward to you at first.
History and acknowledgements:
History and acknowledgments Bass love crawdads! Al Rockwood, of Flies For
Michigan, developed the Furry Crawdad in 1990 based on patterns found in Dick
Stewart's Bass Flies. This pattern originated with Walter Siegfried, with a nod
to Clouser and Ben Schley. Siegfried published in Fishing World in 1990.
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