Tying and Fishing Crawdad Patterns

Mud Bugger

Crawdads, also called Crayfish or Mud Puppies, are a main staple for fish in many lakes and rivers. Crawdad fly patterns are very effective for a variety of fish including trout and bass. Some tiers like to tie close imitations of crawdads, but from my experience, patterns that are suggestive of the real thing are more effective. Shown below is a very simple and effective imitation that was tied by a friend of mine which he called the Mud Bugger.

How to fish with crawdad patterns:
Because crawdads like to eat small fish, decomposed materials and a variety of insects, the flies should be twitched along the bottom or dead drifted in moving water.

Materials to tie the Mud Bugger:
Hook:  9672 Mustad 4-8
Thread:  3/0 Monocord
Tails:  Fox squirrel hair split apart
Wing case:  Oak turkey feather
Body:  Olive chenille
Hackle:  Olive brown

How to tie the Mud Bugger.

Step 1. Tying the Mud Bugger

Tie in the tails and split them apart. Cut out a wing 

case that is 1/8 to 3/16 inches wide and attach it vertically.

Step 2. Tying the Mud Bugger

Attach the body and hackle material.

Step 3. Tying the Mud Bugger

Wrap the body forward to 1/16 inch of the hook eye and follow 

with the hackle. Trim the hackle on top of the hook to 1/8 inch.

Step 4. Tying the Mud Bugger

Pull the wing case forward over the body and hackle and tie it off. 

Coat the wing case with head cement or other lacquer and finish tying the head off.