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Hawkins Outfitters - Northern Michigan Fly Fishing and Wingshooting
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Northern Michigan Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing for Steelhead
smallmouth bass on the fly

Crayfish are a main staple on the diet of Carp and Smallmouth Bass in Grand Traverse Bay.  Having a variety of carp fishing grand traverse baycolored crayfish patterns, (tan, olive, black, and crawdad orange) and weight on the fly (unweighted, lead eyes, and bead chain) are the important parts of fishing for carp and smallmouth bass. During the summer we update the fishing report page, for Grand Traverse Bay, in Traverse City, MI.

Carp Crayfish Fly – Woodstock

carp crayfish fly

Carp Crayfish Material List

  • Daiichi 1530 #4-8
  • Marabou for Tail
  • Krystal Flash
  • Whiting “4B” Hen Capes
  • Rubber Legs
  • Ice Dub for Body
  • Bead Chain Eyes
  • Saddle Hackle Feather
carp crayfish fly

Add your Daiichi 1530 to the vise and start your thread base

carp crayfish fly

Add your marabou to the tail, we have chosen ginger

carp crayfish fly

Tie in a few strands of Krystal flash, orange or peacock work well

carp crayfish fly

For antennas add rubber legs, an optional step here

carp crayfish fly

Clipping part of the rubber legs so they are only in the rear of the fly

carp crayfish fly

Add your “4B” Saddles for claws, to the crayfish pattern

carp crayfish fly

Tie in your Saddle Hackle to wrap forward later

carp crayfish fly

Add your bead chain eyes, substitute lead eyes if needed

carp crayfish fly

Start adding your dubbing for the body of the crayfish pattern

carp crayfish fly

Continue dubbing the body of the fly

carp crayfish fly

Finished dubbed body, for your crayfish pattern

carp crayfish fly

Wrap your saddle feather forward

carp crayfish fly

Trim your Saddle, allows the crayfish to lay flat on the bottom

carp crayfish fly

Finished Carp Crayfish Pattern

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River Reports

  • Manistee River Trout Fishing
  • Manistee River Below Tippy
  • Pere Marquette
  • Boardman River
  • Grand Traverse Bay
  • Garden River

Hunting Reports

  • Grouse and Woodcock Hunting Report
  • Waterfowl Hunting Report

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Hawkins Outfitters Blog

  • Pine River – Secret Trout Water February 20, 2023
  • Spring Steelhead – Times have Changed January 27, 2023
  • Trout Unlimited Manistee River Habitat Project October 26, 2022
  • Basic Spring Turkey Hunting Gear January 21, 2022
  • The Tug is the Drug, Swinging Flies for Steelhead December 14, 2021

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