The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning

Nymph, Other

Swimming Crane Fly Larva

Insect Species Icon Cranefly
Difficulty Icon Easy - 3-5 Min
Water Category Icon Coldwater

Tying Video

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Tying Recipe
  • Hook: Curved nymph hook
  • Head: Bead head
  • Foul Guard: 10# mono
  • Tail: Zonker strip
  • Body: Same zonker strip

 

  • You can use any color zonker you wish
  • Use any hook you like
  • This fly is popular to be tied on a longer streamer hook, it makes a great baitfish imitation if tied larger
  • Try adding some flash out the back if you’re making a baitfish imitation

This simple little streamer can imitate a cranefly larvae well. Fish it under an indicator or tight line it through deeper holes where trout will be holding.
If you tie in other colors it imitates a great little minnow or shiner.
This fly is so cheap and easy to tie you should never run out of them. Pass some out to friends in different sizes and colors!

Fish this fly as a nymph or streamer. If you are nymphing pair it with some split shot on your leader to get it down to the bottom.
You also can swing or strip this fly. Find some current where trout are holding and swing at the head of the pool or cast up from the rear.

Cranefly

General Hatch Chart Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cranefly
Sizes: #8 - #16

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