So what's the deal with cripple flies?

[Ashley Frohwein]

I don't really have any experience with them. What exactly are they? Are they supposed to mimic injured duns that can't make it off the water's surface/completely out of the film?

Online, it seems like some people use "cripple" and "emerger" interchangeably, although I'm pretty sure they're not 100% synonymous.

Whatever they are, when and how can/should you fish them? 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Richard Farino]

They are not synonymous in a dry fly purists sense, but can be used somewhat interchangeable.

Cripples are exactly what you think they are – insects born with damaged wings, half out of the shuck, and even stillborn.  There are some places, like the Henry’s Fork in Idaho during PMD hatch season, where the insects get thru the meniscus and off the water so quickly most trout never really get a chance to eat a dun unless it’s crippled.  That’s one of the reasons why the Rene Harrop flies work so well – those fish on the Fork never really see PMD duns – only spinners.

Regards,

R

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[Ashley Frohwein]

Many thanks!

[TurbineBlade]

I suspect most fish think our flies are cripples, stuck, or otherwise deformed bugs versus that actual things they supposedly imitate.  If you think this looks like a real caddisfly, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona....

If you extend the logic of fishing cripples to streamers, everyone should be tying the light wing on top, an the dark wing underneath, since that would be consistent with a minnow in the throes of death (or doing the backstroke, I guess).    

Gene

On Friday, September 15, 2017 at 1:30:34 AM UTC-4, Ashley Frohwein wrote:

Many thanks!

[Ashley Frohwein]

Hahaha. Will you throw the golden gate in free?

[Richard Farino]

I don’t think Hans will appreciate you saying his creation doesn’t look like a real caddisfly, at least to trout.

R

From: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Friday, September 15, 2017 at 11:18 AM
To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>

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[TurbineBlade]

Lol, well I'll just have to hope he appreciates my reference to what is undoubtedly one of the best dry fly patterns ever tied...despite the fact that if you were looking at a pile of caddisflies on a lab table, you'd have no trouble identifying that "one of these things is not like the other(s)", a la Sesame Street.  

How that guy manages to tie soft hackles while catching the thread and feather stem simultaneously right at the hook eye, is beyond me.  I can't do it -- watch one of his videos and you'll spot it right away.  

I like Hans!  No offense meant!  

Gene

On Friday, September 15, 2017 at 1:52:17 PM UTC-4, Richard Farino wrote:

I don’t think Hans will appreciate you saying his creation doesn’t look like a real caddisfly, at least to trout.

R

From: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Date: Friday, September 15, 2017 at 11:18 AM
To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} So what's the deal with cripple flies?

I suspect most fish think our flies are cripples, stuck, or otherwise deformed bugs versus that actual things they supposedly imitate.  If you think this looks like a real caddisfly, I have some oceanfront property in Arizona....

If you extend the logic of fishing cripples to streamers, everyone should be tying the light wing on top, an the dark wing underneath, since that would be consistent with a minnow in the throes of death (or doing the backstroke, I guess).    

Gene

On Friday, September 15, 2017 at 1:30:34 AM UTC-4, Ashley Frohwein wrote:

Many thanks!

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[TurbineBlade]

On Friday, September 15, 2017 at 2:30:34 PM UTC-4, TurbineBlade wrote:

Lol, well I'll just have to hope he appreciates my reference to what is undoubtedly one of the best dry fly patterns ever tied...despite the fact that if you were looking at a pile of caddisflies on a lab table plus one CDC and elk, you'd have no trouble identifying that "one of these things is not like the other(s)", a la Sesame Street.  

[Richard Farino]

All jokes.  I just happened to recognize the photo.  He's an awesome guy.  If you meet him, he'll show you his secrets.

R

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[TurbineBlade]

Oh all the fly fishermen and/or tyers of "fame" out there, he'd be one I wouldn't mind talking to for a bit.  I wish I could have met Mel Krieger; he seems like he would have been really funny.  

Gene

On Friday, September 15, 2017 at 6:26:08 PM UTC-4, Richard Farino wrote:

All jokes.  I just happened to recognize the photo.  He's an awesome guy.  If you meet him, he'll show you his secrets.

[TurbineBlade]

BTW -- Good to hear from you Rich!  I'm not getting out to fish anywhere near as often as I once was, but I'm veering slightly into "micro" territory when I do.  It can't be helped; I loved aquariums long before I started fishing ;).  I won't call it by name, but I may be doing some "fixed line" pole-type fishing as well.  

Sorry for going off-topic --

Gene