PANTHER BRANCH BUGS - How to Tie the Hatchling Craw

If all goes as planned, this time next Saturday I'll be on Beaver Island with Captain Kevin Morlock of Indigo Guide Service beginning day one of several on the water.  That means I've been stocking the carp, smallmouth, and pike fly boxes with flies which are always heavy on crayfish patterns.

Recently, I ordered up a dozen of Hatchling Craws from Brandon Bailes of Panther Branch Bugs to stash in the fly box and also asked if he would put together a step-by-step tutorial on how to tie up this tasty pattern.

Brandon wrote...  "I came up with the Hatchling Craw to use on the creeks and streams I fish. I always needed a small non-threatening crawfish that any and all fish would find appealing. This little fly has been great for that from high elevation brook trout in the Smokies to redbreast sunfish and even low water smallmouth. 

I fish it dead drift, active retrieve, under an indicator or hopper and this might be a surprise but I fish it year-round. Fish of all sorts have a hard time turning down such an easy meal!"

HATCHLING CRAW RECIPE:

HOOK - Gamakatsu B10 - Size 10-14

WEIGHT - Brass Dumbbell Eyes - Size Small -X-Small

UNDERBODY - Frankenfly Nymph Dub

BACK - MFC Skinny Skin

ANTENNA - MFC Centipede Legs - Size Mini

CLAWS - Pine Squirrel Zonker 

RIB - 3X Tippet

STEP 1:  Create thread base that runs into the bend slightly.

STEP 2: Attach dumbbell a hook eye length back from the hook eye itself.

STEP 3: Align dubbing and tie in at the bend and fold over to create a bump for the mouthparts of the craw. I find it easy to reposition the hook for this step.

STEP 4: Add a centipede leg to each side of the dubbing bump.

STEP 5: With the fly inverted, tie in a 1/8" strip of skinny skin and pierce it onto the hook to keep it out of the way.

STEP 6: Create a dubbing ball for the claws to rest against and to make a full head.

STEP 7: Next trim some pine squirrel zonker, only leaving the tips to act as pinchers. And then tie in on each side of body.

STEP 8: Now dub a small portion behind the claws to complete the "thorax".

STEP 9: Tie in ribbing and taper dub the remainder of the body as well as figure 8 around the dumbbell eyes.

STEP 10: Fold the skinny skin over the body and use the rib to begin making 3 equally spaced segments. Once you reach the hook eye simply tie off both the skin and ribbing.

STEP 11: Finally whip-finish, color the thread head, add some UV for durability. And brush out to give the fly "legs".

STEP 12:  And, DONE.

Brandon keeps it simple with just the Panther Branch Bugs Instagram page and he's a great follow as he's always posting imaginative new fly designs.  If you'd rather not tie your own, reach out for a custom order of bugs.  He does that too.