Crippler Success!

[noeyedeer]

Decided to have a go at some Cripplers inspired by RD's T&S article this month. Despite not having the right hen hackles for the body I do have a full GP skin, so pressed on with a variant. Tied a Kate version and a Clan Chief.

Heres my attempt at the Clan Chief .

Tag's not to my liking as I only had wider Salmon size tinsel left. For the body hackle, used a red hen hackle I had hanging around in a McHardy's packet from 30yrs ago - still worked though.....

Put it on the top dropper on Sunday @ High Newton (in line by means of a snap hook using Steve Cheetham's dropperless method for a tangle free day in high winds). Fish took it right off the top in a good wind/wave in bright conditions.

Now just need some of those "rare as hens teeth" dyed hen Grizzle capes to get a "proper" job tied up.

[Scratch]

Must have been the presentation afforded by Steve C's dropperless method that done it, Dave! I must admit, I haven't even taken my Crippler box out of storage yet.. I don't usually consider that sort of fare until late April at the very earliest! You may have just convinced me to to try them a little earlier this year. Thrilled to bits though to see someone actually going to the trouble of tying and fishing them.. and catching.

How did you get on with the dropperless method in general?

[darwin]

Nice fly and colour combination. $90 for a subscription

[noeyedeer]

Originally Posted by Scratch

Must have been the presentation afforded by Steve C's dropperless method that done it it, Dave! I must admit, I haven't even taken my Crippler box out of storage yet.. I don't usually consider that sort of fare until late April at the very earliest! You may have just convinced me to to try them a little earlier this year. Thrilled to bits though to see someone actually going to the trouble of tying and fishing them.. and catching.

How did you get on with the dropperless method in general?

Cheers for the encouragment from the flymeister himself!

On the dropperless system:-
I like to change flies quite often so have used snap links where I want a dropper to be, then changing fly is easy.
Snap links are far from perfect but allow an easy change once you are used to them. I guess you could tie on a trusty pattern instead if you don’t like snaplinks.

I’ve heard opinions the fish may “feel” the line if they take the fly slowly rather than it being at the end of a dropper length, but haven’t used it enough to say either way. (IMHO there will also be less 3 dimensional movement of the fly apart from that afforded by the snaplink).

Possibly erring on the side of a few less offers overall but that is far outweighed for me by the elimination of casting/wind tangles almost completely. You need a tight knot or it can slide open a bit, but it’s easily re-tightened with a simple tug.

Also so far had a couple of break offs at the in-line snaplink. E.g. On Sun @ High Newton I landed a 5Lb stockie after a hard fight. Re-cast to the same spot and got hit hard resulting in a break at the link on 6Lb Maxima which should normally absorb this. Not enough of a problem to worry about maybe just need to renew tippet more often.

Cripplers: Will be certainly tying some more!
Dave.

[Scratch]

Not sure I'm that comfortable with change to give a go, to be honest Dave. I might just give it a whirl in a flat calm sometime though, when I really really want to fish 3 or 4 bushy flies might help reduce tangles

[noeyedeer]

I'd add the comment that I'm fine using bushy flies but would not recommend for skinny flies such as buzzers, which can even come off the snaplink if it's gap is not nipped down tight. Maybe better to tie them direct in line without a link like Steve ties his spiders in that case.

I also feel that the prescence of extra hardware at the eye end of the fly does not feel right on a skinny fly somehow. It may not make a jot of difference in practice, but again on Sunday I'd had some buzzers on the snaplink positions ('cos SharkeyP was caning them on buzzers stood next to me) and fewer takes converted. later after being broken off I switched to a conventional dropper and nailed a fish first cast to a buzzer - who know's eh?

[Stillwater angler]

Nice fly Dave........


But snap links and dropperless leaders on stillwaters !.........

[noeyedeer]

Originally Posted by Stillwater angler

snap links and dropperless leaders on stillwaters ......... .....

Yeah Fred, I know, I know, defo not the recommended method....but when I'm feeling lazy on a windy day after 3 days solid fishing I can't be ar**d with tangles. Still ended the day with more than 20 fish so it can't be all evil.

Mainly wanted to lend support to Scratch's crippler pattern (as it worked for me) rather than the method which I accept has limitations.

[SharkeyP]

To me it seems obvious that a fly tied inline (rather than on a dropper) has a greater chance off not being taken cleanly by the fish as it will most likely come into contact with the tippet and feel some resistance, something not quite right, before it closes it's mouth unless it's approach is perpendicular to the line. I must say they took the buzzers I was offering with no hesitation, very positive takes and I missed hardly any. Unusually all three in the team were scoring, though the centre forwards (point) lead the tally, despite being substituted a couple of times.

Back on topic though, is Scratch the Delia Smith of the fly tying world? Not for her vocal and lubricated support of "The Canaries", but her ability to empty every Sainsbury's in the land of any ingredient she featured on her TV show! Forget Hen's Teeth, Dyed Grizzle Hen is now rarer still as the nation goes "raspberry" mad!

Also, if Scratch is still tuned in, why "Crippler", the name, not the pattern?

SharkeyP

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by SharkeyP

Also, if Scratch is still tuned in, why "Crippler", the name, not the pattern?

Not sure I'm ever 'tuned in' mate. Unless of course you mean in a state of inebriation

Just a silly name mate... I was thinking along the lines of some names we have already, like 'Hopper', and 'Hobbler' - you know, things a bit challenged in the mobility department. My first name was 'Limper', but the more I used it, the lamer it sounded 'Crippler' was never meant to refer to a 'crippled' insect, more a reference to the phrase 'slip 'em a crippler'