Fly Tying Inventory
Micro Craw Slider
Cheech of Fly Fish Food scaled his bass crayfish patterns down to a trout-sized profile for this fly, since fish often feed on smaller, younger crawfish. A heavy tungsten dumbbell sinks it quickly so it bounces along the rocks, and a trimmed deer hair slider head helps it ride correctly in the water. Leech Leather claws and a chenille body keep the tie simple, and markers add barring and color. Hop it along the bottom for trout and bass, and change colors to match local crawfish. Tied here on a size 4 hook.
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Materials
Semperfli Nano Silk 100D 6/0, black (or brown)
Black · 6/0
Fulling Mill Tungsten Dumbbell Eyes, black nickel, 3.0mm (or gold)
Black Nickel · 3.0mm
Hareline Senyo's Shadow Fiber, brown (or amber)
Brown
Hareline Senyo's Shadow Fiber, orange
Orange
Senyo's Super Satin Chenille 10mm, brown (or olive)
Brown · 10mm
Permanent markers, black and orange, for barring and claw tips
Black, Orange
Hareline Senyo's Shadow Fiber, kingfisher blue (or olive)
Kingfisher Blue
Hareline Ice Dub, pheasant tail, for the beard (or rusty brown)
Pheasant Tail
Natural deer body hair for the slider head
Natural
Head cement for the finished head
How to Tie the Micro Craw Slider
- 1
Step 1
Start the thread behind the eye and lay a base. Tie the dumbbell eyes on top of the shank just behind the hook eye, then take the thread back to the bend.
- 2
Step 2
Tie in a small bunch of brown and orange Shadow Fiber at the bend so it extends past the hook.
- 3
Step 3
Tie in a few strands of black Krystal Flash at the same point for long antennae.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in the chenille at the bend and take a few turns to cover the tie-in point. Leave the rest of the chenille hanging for now.
- 5
Step 5
Cut two claws from a strip of Leech Leather, narrow at the base with a split, forked tip.
- 6
Step 6
Tie one claw on each side at the bend so they angle back past the hook, then trim the tags.
- 7
Step 7
Wrap the chenille forward to just behind the dumbbell, stroking the fibers back as you go. Tie it off and trim the excess.
- 8
Step 8
Bar the chenille body and claws with a black marker, then color the claw tips with an orange marker.
- 9
Step 9
Turn the hook over in the vise so the point rides up. Tie a small bunch of kingfisher blue Shadow Fiber along each side of the body behind the eyes for the walking legs.
- 10
Step 10
Cut, clean and stack a bunch of deer hair. Tie it in at the dumbbell and let it flare around the shank, then add a second bunch on the opposite side.
- 11
Step 11
Turn the hook point down and dub a pinch of Ice Dub behind the deer hair for a beard.
- 12
Step 12
Whip finish and cut the thread. Trim the hair with a razor blade into a short, sloped slider head, leaving the rear fibers long over the body.
- 13
Step 13
Add a little head cement to the wraps and touch up the hair and legs with marker.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXVIq064TAQ
Credit: Cheech / Fly Fish Food