Drunkin Micro Tree Cricket Tutorial Part 2
In a previous entry on July 30th, I showcased a Tree Cricket pattern that I have used for quite some time to entice large browns during the dawn hours and in the eventide. Here is the same pattern tied on a Hanak #18 390 BL. This cricket pattern can be casted easily with a 1-3 wt. rod. Another incentive was to create a very lightweight cricket on a hook that I have supreme confidence in for the most weary large brown trout. I often use this as a search pattern throughout the fall months. Because of its very small size for a terrestrial, I do deem it a true micro pattern. Using Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 helps reduce bulk tremendously at this scale. Uniformly scaled down from a Hanak 300 BL #16, which is the smallest hook in the 300 series, we jump to the 390 BL #18. This is a slightly more aggressive bend but with a straight eye. The venerable Hanak 390 BL goes down to a #20. Both hooks work wonderfully for this pattern.
(Click any of the images for magnification below)
Fig. 1: Using a #18 Hanak 390 BL, run your thread to the rear of the hook shank just before the bend drops vertical, dub a small ball at the end of the thread. Tie in two black biots on either side of the dubbed ball. This will cant the biots to create a realistic cerci.
Fig. 2: Tie in .25" black scud back just to the beginning of the dubbing ball. Now tie in either green or scarlet red extra-small wire to the rear, just ending at the tie-in point of the scud back. Make sure you taper the Scud Back at the tie in point slightly.
Fig. 3: Dub the abdomen 3/4 of the way up the hook shank. Be fairly liberal with the dubbing. Here I dub in Kapok for the first layer and finish it with Black SLF Spikey Squirrel, which already has a little bit of UV mixed in. Pull the scud back over the top of the abdomen and secure it where the dubbing ends. Spin the wire up the abdomen to create evenly spaced segments, making sure the scud back does not shift sideways.
Fig. 4: Using red dyed pheasant tail fibers, knot two joints for each leg, a set of three for each side. Do not use pre-knotted pheasant tail because the joints are spaced for larger hopper patterns. Pre-knotted pheasant tail is a waste depending on all the size variables of your terrestrial patterns. Knot them yourself; it's easy with tweezers and magnifiers.
Fig. 5: Make sure your legs fall slightly below the scud back edges; if you get them too close to the scud back, they will splay straight out when you eventually pull the thorax cover over to form the split hair wing, which is not what you want. Keep the tie-in point on the lower edges. The legs can extend slightly even with the cerci prongs.
Fig. 6: Here I am using Varner's deer hair; it is very fine for smaller dry fly patterns and slightly pricier than normal comparadun deer hair. These hides are superb for micropatterns and well worth the investment! The smaller diameter hair scales perfectly with micropatterns. It is also very forgiving with GSP threads.
Fig. 7: Tie in a small clump of deer hair on the bare thread just in front of your Scud Back tag end. The deer hair should extend just to the rear of the hook. Dub a thorax using SLF Spike Squirrel black on top of your tie-in point; you don't need a lot, just enough to cover the thread. Now comes the fun part: pull the Scud Back towards the hook eye, splitting the deer hair equally on both sides. As you pull the Scud Back forward, pull and stroke the hair rearward about a half dozen times to make sure it does not get trapped under the Scud Back. (see photo above) This takes a little practice and dexterity. Just be patient and take your time during this step. Now tie in the scud back just to the rear of the hook eye. This is probably the trickiest part of this pattern, but it's easy to get the hang of it after you tie about half a dozen or so crickets. Use two black pheasant-tail fibers for the antennae; cant them forward like the natural. Honestly, the silhouette of these fibers cast a realistic profile that I believe makes a difference in this pattern's success.
Fig. 8: As you can see, this is a small tree cricket! The Hanak #18 390 BL and the 300 BL are hooks I have experimented with extensively for cripple terrestrial patterns; both style hooks are wonderful canvases for this pattern. Even at this size, it makes for a highly effective search pattern.
~Drunkin Tree Cricket~
Hook: Hanak 390 BL #18
Thread: Semperfli Nano Silk 18/0 Black
Abdomen: Dubbed with Black kapok topped with SLF Spikey Squirrel
Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibers dyed red
Cerci: two black biots
Wing case and abdomen: Black Scud Back .25"
Body Rib: Small diameter crimson UTC Ultra wire
Wing: Black or Slate Varner's extra fine deer hair
Antennae: Two black pheasant tail fibers
This is a pattern you want to take your time practicing, primarily because some people find it difficult to uniformly scale these many steps onto a #18 size hook. The good news is that it can be done! The bad news is you cannot drink too much coffee before tying one of these up. This pattern is deadly in the fall, especially on breezy days, under overhangs, and in shaded, dark seams.
Thanks for letting me share!
Clint Bova
www.cjbovarods.com
