January Fly of the Month: The Crackleback
NOTE: At monthly chapter meetings we feature a "Fly of the Month" and everyone is encouraged to participate.
Tie and bring to the meeting two or more of the "Fly of the Month" and you will receive a raffle ticket for each fly. Those who have not tied a fly for the raffle can purchase tickets for a dollar apiece. The winning ticket gets half of all the flies. The other flies are retained by the chapter.
THE FLY OF THE MONTH is seeking a new coordinator and editor. A big thank you to Sig Holtz for the many years of coordinating the FOM. If you are interested contact me at patcrisci@midhudsontu.org.
The Crackleback is a rather unusual, but simple to tie fly. I think it’s every bit as much a fly tying technique as it is a fly pattern.
You can tie this pattern in any number of colors and sizes to suggest a variety of aquatic and terrestrial insects — caddis fly, stone fly, or even a terrestrial. And you can fish The Crackleback wet or dry to imitate them. I have heard it’s a good pattern for panfish as well as trout.
Tie a few Cracklebacks and give them a try. Here is the recipe:
Hook: Dry fly hook of your choice in sizes 12 to 16
Thread: Rusty brown 8/0
Back: Peacock herl
Hackle: Furnace or brown
Body: Cream fur dubbing
For a video on how to tie this fly is tie go to: https://news.orvis.com/fly-fishing/video-tie-crackleback