Fly Tying Tutorial of the Week: Purple Hazy Cripple
Posted on October 15th, 2024 in Fly Tying Tutorials, Fly Tying Videos
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.
Purple Hazy Cripple – Recipe
Hook: Standard dry fly, #12–20.
Thread: 8/0 purple Uni, or equivalent.
Shuck: Golden brown MFC Widow’s Web or similar poly yarn, such as EP Fibers.
Body: Purple spandex (Life Flex, Sexi Floss, Spanflex, etc.).
Wing: White Widow’s Web or equivalent.
Hackle: Grizzly and brown, mixed, “Adams-style.”
Adhesive: Brush-on super glue.
Tying Procedure
- Start thread 1/3 back from the eye and lay a short thread base before returning thread to starting point.
- Secure a bundle of tailing fibers using touching turns, continuing about half the remaining distance to the hook bend, before returning thread to the starting point.
- Secure a strand of purple spandex using touching turns back to the bend. Stretch spandex as you wrap back to create a bit of body taper. Return thread to the starting point.
- Optional: Create a tapering underbody using tying thread. Only required on #12–14.
- Apply superglue to thread base layer, then wrap the spandex forward in touching turns while stretching it slightly. Secure and clip excess.
- Secure a bundle of white Widow’s Web on top the hook shack, with the thread wraps extending from the forward end of the abdomen forward about halfway to the eye. Return thread to rear of wing tie-in point. Trim the rear end of the wing to a short tuft.
- Secure one brown and one grizzly hackle on the side of the hook shank, with the grizzly behind the brown.
- Advance thread to the forward wing butt and take a couple turns around this bunch of fibers to stand them up slightly. Advance thread almost to the eye.
- Apply super glue to the hackle and wing tie-in points.
- Wrap the grizzly hackle forward. On #16, use about 4 turns, with one full turn in front of the wing. Use more turns on larger flies. Secure.
- Wrap the brown hackle forward. On #16, use about 3 turns, with one full turn in front of the wing. Use more turns on larger flies. Secure and clip excess from both hackles.
- Make a small thread head, whip finish and clip thread, and apply super glue to the head.
- Trim the wing slightly longer than the hackle barbs. Cut a vee-notch from the hackle under the hook shank.
How-To Video
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