Carp Crawler

Materials

How to Tie the Carp Crawler

1. 1

   Step 1

   Mount the hook in the vise and start the thread a little behind the hook eye. Lay a short thread base where the eyes will sit.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Tie the bead chain eyes on top of the shank with crossing wraps, leaving a little room behind the hook eye.

   Change the eye size to suit where you fish. The fly should sink at a moderate pace, not plummet and hit bottom hard.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Put a small drop of thin glue on the eye wraps to lock them in place.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Wrap the thread back along the shank to the start of the bend.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Tie in Crusher Legs at the rear of the shank so they trail back past the bend, with one leg on each side and one in the middle.

   Leg placement matters on this fly because the legs help it balance correctly.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Form a dubbing loop at the rear of the shank. Load it with fur from the squirrel body piece and spin it into a shaggy rope.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Wrap the fur rope forward to the eyes and around them, stroking the fibers back as you go. Tie it off in front of the eyes and trim the excess.

8. 8

   Step 8

   Tie in three more legs in front of the eyes, at the thread head, with one on each side and one in the middle, so they point forward past the hook eye.

9. 9

   Step 9

   Turn the hook over in the vise and whip finish behind the hook eye.

10. 10

    Step 10

    Brush out the squirrel fur and trim the legs to length.