When fishing crayfish patterns I like to target deep runs, pools, and obstructions in rivers. Logs, deep pools, boulder-strewn runs, isolated big boulders, and cut banks are all good areas to swim a crayfish pattern.

In lakes, look for areas where deep water is close to structure. Fallen trees, gravel bars, and big boulders are sites where you can expect big fish to search for crayfish.

To fish a weighted pattern in still water and slow river pools, simply cast your crayfish and wait for it to sink to the bottom. Use a sinking tip, full-sinking line, or a long leader with split-shot to make it easier to get the fly on the bottom. Once it is down, leave it there for a few seconds, and then slowly crawl it along the bottom with a hand-twist retrieve. If nothing strikes, give it an occasional short strip. Strikes when you are dragging your crayfish can be surprisingly subtle, so keep a tight line, and if you feel any tension, give it a short strip. This often sets the hook.

Ryan's Soft-Shell Crayfish

HOOK: #2-4 2XL nymph hook. THREAD: Black 6/0. WEIGHT: Lead wire (optional). SHELL BACK: Natural bucktail (cemented). ANTENNAE: Natural bucktail and a few strands of yellow marabou. EYES: Mono eyes (optional). BODY: Haretron Dubbing (light gray, natrual hare's ear, or cream). CLAWS: Rabbit fur. HACKLE: Hungarian partridge.

One of my favorite ways to fish a crayfish is with an indicator and more weight than I use when fishing small nymphs. Even though you're using an indicator, don't dead-drift the pattern. When they are not on the bottom, crayfish dart around in the current trying to escape predators. Cast the rig upstream and twitch the indicator after the fly sinks to the bottom. Most hits are solid and happen shortly after twitching the fly, but be prepared for fish that subtly suck in your imitation while it's motionless.

Another effective way to fish crayfish patterns in a river is to use a long leader and quarter your cast upstream. Let the fly sink, and use upstream mends to get it to the bottom. When it is deep enough, make a downstream mend and bring the pattern through the pool with a twitch-pause retrieve. This will give you a deep-swimming crayfish that looks like a helpless morsel to a big brown trout or bronzeback. This technique takes a little more finesse than using a nymph rig, but it offers more flexibility and depth control once you get the hang of it.

In deep, slow pools present crayfish with a wet-fly swing, occasionally twitching it. In the right water this is a deadly tactic. Active fish often sit in the deep part of a tailout waiting for food from the pool to drift by.

Crayfish are an important food item and quite tasty for both fish and anglers alike. Keep a handful of patterns that imitate these important food items tucked in the corner of your bass, trout, and panfish boxes.
 

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