Drunkin Cricket ~ a pattern for hunting hogs
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. Unlike black field Crickets, tree crickets are much smaller and fall into the water from overhangs and bank edges. When tied in sizes #14 and smaller, these smaller crickets are deadly patterns when large, sophisticated trout refusals will frustrate the most seasoned angler. Tying crickets on a Hanak 300 Bl, a Czech nymph hook, is a wonderful pairing. In sizes #18 and #20, the Hanak 390 BL is also a great canvas. 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 layer of Beaver Belly and kapok has proven itself most effective.
Above photo: black scud back works wonderfully for small cricket patterns where stealth and accuracy count. Black coastal deer hair provides just enough movement to give the impression of the insect struggling in the surface layer.
Using black coastal deer hair overdubbed with black Beaver Belly and Kapok on the Hanak 300 BL keeps the rear of the hook below the surface film while the front half stays flush with the surface. This makes for a very impressionistic struggling terrestrial. Opaque black Scud Back pulled over both the abdomen and the thorax creates that highly reflective finish that black crickets have. This also makes spotting this pattern quite easy without the use of fluorescent antron or bright parapost materials.
Above photo: Legs made of knotted pheasant-tail fibers, overdyed red and black, paired with crimson wire ribbing, lend cadence to a convincing colorway for a fall cricket.
Above photo: Here you can see how this relatively small pattern throws a great silhouette from above and, most importantly, from below.
When tying this pattern in smaller sizes, you really reduce your chances of scaring an entire pool of weary brown trout into the next county. In smaller sizes, you can easily cast this pattern with a 1-3 weight rod using a furled dry fly leader, no problem.
Patterns like these are not as loud or as gaudy as many of the viral terrestrial patterns you see on social media. Don't get me started on all the absolutely ridiculous “Little Tikes” terrestrial patterns made with bright, candy-colored foam that looks like it belongs in the hands of a sticky, prediabetic kid at the state fair. The stuff that riddles YouTube and Instagram may look juicy, but honestly, in my neck of the woods, those patterns are one-trick ponies at best. If you were to cast one of these foam kitchen sink sandwich terrestrials into many clear, low spring creeks that populate most of Pennsylvania's technical waters, you would send the browns running for cover, especially in very low, clear water. The insane truth is that most of these viral patterns come from guys who are ambassadors for huge fly-tying brands, trying to tap into a younger audience. I used to work alongside marketing people for 25-plus years, so growing new target audiences is something I recognize well. Selling synthetics is often easier and more lucrative because sourcing natural materials seasonally is often more difficult. The margins are much greater on foam and recycled plastics than feathers and fur. Enough said.
Think about the applications, your type of water, the species of fish, the terrestrials indigenous to your area, and the habits and temperament of the fish throughout the late season. Apply this knowledge to your line, leaders, and fly; that's what counts for catching fish consistently from late July through November. Crickets are nocturnal, so think about very early and late hours for catching big feeders.
The above video shows you a prime feeding area for a big brown trout. This video was taken at 5 a.m. on Yellow Breeches Creek; the left side of the frame shows a large, deep overhang. I have waited about 45 minutes and watched multiple slash takes on cricket appetizers. It holds a 20-inch Brown that I have been watching since mid-June. Remember, crickets are nocturnal, and so are the huge browns that eat these delicacies in the wee hours. Big slashing browns at night can easily be heard from the bank's edge; wait them out for a few hours until you can just see a slight profile and glimmer of your fly. Often when I fish at night, I put a small tuft of Chornobyl After Glow Fiber on the tippet 2 feet from the fly. It helps you gauge where your fly is without adding a tracer directly on the fly.
Above photo: The antennae are simply black pheasant tail fibers that enhance the convincing silhouette. Make sure you use a finer GSP thread, like UTC Ultra 70 or Semperfli nano silk; it is ultra-strong and, most importantly, low-bulk for these smaller articulated patterns. Count your wraps for consistency.
Hook: Hanak 300 BL sizes #14-#16, Hanak 390 BL #18
Thread: Black UTC Ultra 70 or Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0
Wing: Black coastal deer hair
Legs: Knotted red and black pheasant tail fibers X6
Rib: UTC sm crimson wire
Wing Case: Black scud back .25" width
Cerci: (tail prongs) black biots x2
Abdomen/Thorax: Black Beaver Belly mixed with black Kapok
Antennae: x2 pheasant tail fibers dyed black
This pattern takes me between 10 and 15 minutes to tie. I typically take my time tying this in smaller sizes. Be mindful that proportion is always key. I use two- and three-weight rods at the time of year when crickets are prolific, so having a low-bulk pattern allows me flexibility with lighter rods, line weights, and furled leaders.
As a side note: Unfortunately, today, with social media, i.e., YouTube and Instagram, large fly-tying manufacturers are promoting a lot of synthetics via “ambassadors” who are creating ridiculous amounts of absolute crap on the internet. Flys that would antagonize the intelligence of Hello Kitty or Pikachu, sending them screaming into the night. The shit that flies on social media is mind-boggling. I appreciate my 190k readers as of this month, and after 23 years of writing this blog, I promise never to create a pattern that is not fish-worthy. Please bear with me as we move through these troubled and garish times, no offense to Hello Kitty or Pikachu.
Thanks for letting me share!
