Above photo: One of my most productive end-of-summer cricket patterns on a #14 Hanak 300 BL. The Czech Nymph style hook provides a wonderful geometry for a struggling cricket in the surface film. As summer starts to roll into August, crickets in my neck of the woods are quite prolific, and hoppers always seem to steal the show; crickets never really get the air time. Crickets, when tied in sizes #14 and smaller, become deadly patterns when large trout refusals will frustrate the most seasoned angler. Tying crickets on a Hanak 300 Bl, a Czech nymph hook, is a wonderful pairing. Crickets like hoppers are not water-borne insects, so it stands to reason they WILL struggle in the surface film just to stay afloat. Often you will see them splayed awkwardly or half sunk. This is where a good strong nymph hook comes into play, like the Hanak 300 Czech nymph hook. I have experimented with this pattern for many years using bug skin, foam, etc., but using opaque black scud back over a very buoyant...