Fly Tying Inventory
Quigley Cripple
Bob Quigley's Cripple, created in 1978, imitates a mayfly stuck in its shuck — a stage trout find irresistible. The fly sits half-submerged with its abdomen and trailing shuck hanging below the surface and its deer hair wing and hackle keeping the thorax afloat. When trout refuse fully emerged duns but eagerly eat emergers, the Quigley Cripple is the answer. Endlessly adaptable by changing colors to match any mayfly hatch.
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Materials
Standard dry fly hook (TMC 100 or similar), sizes 12-22
Tan, brown, or gray 8/0 (to match hatch)
Brown marabou fibers, pheasant tail fibers, or Z-Lon (amber or brown)
Fine copper or gold wire
Pheasant tail fibers or matching dubbing
Superfine Dubbing or squirrel/beaver dubbing (color to match hatch)
Natural deer hair — short, fine, stacked (dark-tipped preferred)
Grizzly, dun, cream, or ginger rooster hackle
How to Tie the Quigley Cripple
- 1
Step 1
Place the hook in the vise and lay down a smooth thread base on the hook shank.
- 2
Step 2
Tie in marabou or pheasant tail fibers at the hook bend as the trailing shuck/tail.
- 3
Step 3
Secure fine wire at the tail tie-in point for ribbing.
- 4
Step 4
Form the abdomen by wrapping pheasant tail fibers or dubbing forward to about the midpoint of the shank.
The abdomen should be slim and segmented — it represents the nymphal body that hangs below the surface.
- 5
Step 5
Counter-wrap the wire through the abdomen for segmentation and durability. Tie off and trim.
- 6
Step 6
Clean, stack, and tie in a small clump of deer hair with tips protruding forward over the hook eye. Trim the butts and secure.
Bob Quigley preferred dark-tipped deer hair. Keep the wing sparse for a natural profile.
- 7
Step 7
Build up a slightly bulkier thorax with dubbing around the base of the wing.
- 8
Step 8
Tie in grizzly or matching hackle. Wrap 2-3 turns and secure.
- 9
Step 9
Whip finish and apply head cement.
Adjust colors to match any mayfly hatch: Light Cahill, PMD, BWO, Green Drake, etc. The half-submerged posture is the key trigger.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxDE0jsOFKk
Credit: Bob Quigley