Fly Tying Tutorial of the Week: Purple Hazy Cripple
Posted on October 15th, 2024
The Purple Hazy Cripple is our top dry fly on the Yellowstone River and in the Yellowstone region in general. While it’s most effective in sizes #16 through #18 as an attractor pattern and during sparse mayfly hatches from late August through April, it is also effective in larger sizes earlier in the summer, especially on rougher mountain streams.
We often fish this pattern in preference to “imitative” mayfly patterns, especially on rougher water like the Yellowstone River and its tributary the Stillwater, but it can also work even on gentle meadow streams such as Slough Creek.
The Purple Hazy Cripple is one of our top flies, and definitely our most productive dry fly overall. In fact it’s our go-to fly from late August through early October, period.
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Top Winter Dry Fly – Parachute Midge Emerger
Posted on November 12th, 2021
Here’s a blast from the past that still works well. The Parachute Midge Emerger, along with something like a #18 Purple Hazy Cripple, should be your go-to dry fly when you see midges hatching on late fall and winter afternoons. This is my top winter dry fly just about everywhere: spring creeks, tailwaters, and the mighty Yellowstone itself. Hang an unweighted thread midge or WD-40 nymph under the emerger.
Recipe
Hook: Standard or short-shank dry fly, #14-22.
Thread: 8/0 or smaller black, or to match the fly body color.
Wing: White Widow’s Web or similar synthetic.
Rib: Pearl Midge Krystal Flash.
Hackle: Grizzly saddle.
May-Midge Cripple Fly Tying Video
Posted on March 4th, 2021
We tied the May-Midge as something of an experiment prior to the 2019, intending it to combine attributes of midge patterns like the Griffith’s Gnat while maintaining the overall silhouette of tiny, sparse mayflies. Our goal with this fly was to come up with something that would fool the spooky, lazily-rising fish we often see in the morning in flat water in late summer and early fall. These fish seldom eat any one thing in particular, but are feeding on a mixture of midges and the duns of three or four species of mayflies, as well as the occasional odd ant, mayfly spinner, and other “schmutz.” The May-Midge proved extremely effective in this role this season, particularly in the Lamar Drainage, where it turned out several very large fish on lower Slough Creek that were turned off by larger and/or more heavily-dressed flies.
Note: This fly is intended for use in slow water, particularly big eddy lines or places with many complicated micro-currents. It should not be used in choppy water, as it won’t float well in chop.
Recipe
Hook: #16-22 1x short, 1x fine emerger hook.
Thread #1 and Abdomen: Claret Veevus Body Quill (I called it wine in the video).
Tail/Shuck: Gray Sparkle Emerger Yarn or similar.
Thread #2: 8/0 or 10/0 wine.
Wing: White Widow’s Web or similar synthetic yarn.
Hackle: Grizzly saddle, tied sparse.
Thorax: UV Brown Ice Dub.
Other Colors: Light olive, black, copper, gray (use alternate abdomen material on gray, as there is no gray Body Quill). Change threads and dubbing to match desired fly color. Tail, wing, and hackle do not change.