Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Creek Crawlers - Crayfish

Jun 6, 2017

Creek Crawlers - Crayfish - Crawdads

Gila River Crayfish

Crayfish, Crawfish, or Crawdad, whatever you wish to call them, are just too cool. Imagine life as this hard shell predator. Even though many species prey on them I can't help appreciate how well defensively equipped they are.

Have you ever been pinched...wow! It hurts. Besides defense, a crawfish can also lose a pincher and grow it back. This guy in photo lost one somewhere in its recent life.

Eagle Creek Oregon - underwater

Molted shell of same crawfish. I spotted this one nearby. First thought it was a different crawfish but closer examination revealed it was the molted shell of the live on pictured above.

Creek Crawler - Picture and Fly provided by Umpqua

Fly Designer Duane Hada

Nice picture from Umpqua but here is what they really look like...

The small claw feathers tuck tight to the body for good reason. To fish a craw pattern you want to get this on bottom quickly as possible. The slim profile enables it to fall quickly. You can fish it on a sink tip but I prefer to fish floating line with a long leader of fine tippet. The fine tippet also aids in getting to bottom. Once the fly reaches bottom I really don't think bass care what it looks like. It just needs to scurry around bottom deflecting off rocks and stirring silt. It's a brilliant fly design and tied by someone who really understands the purpose and not just replicating what we think it should look like.

Get em here...