A True Tier’s Bench

The Ultimate Tier's Bench. Photo by: Jeff White

A view of the workbench that yields such wonders as the Messy Craw (see below) – There is so much that is right with this picture – Beer in a Tailwaters Coozy – check. Not one, but TWO Softex bottles open to add to the ‘creative’ juices – check. Dual vises at the ready – check. It’s no wonder Jeff comes up with some really unique and creative flies – I thought it was his brain, when it’s actually the Softex fumes…….

I challenge our readers to send us a picture of your bench at work – if it makes the cut, I will post it and you will live in infamy at Somethin’s Fishy.

Read Full Post »

Tying Jefe’s Messy Craw

One of my best friends and fishing buddies Jeff (el Jefe) White has developed (amongst all his other crazy, softtex-high-induced patterns) a crawfish streamer that is like no other. Dubbed the “Messy Craw,” it looks like a whole lot of nothing until it hits the water, and then it becomes a bass/trout/carp/anything slaying machine. Featured in Flick Ford‘s Book Fish, this bass assassin is totally alive, and definitely a killer pattern.  Jeff currently resides in the hills (i.e. sticks) of East Tennessee, fishing every tailwater within 100 miles, and begrudgingly raising chickens. If you wish to thank him for this contribution, gifts of live Warren Zevon show recordings and decent (or cheap, he doesn’t discriminate) beer are always appreciated. Here’s a step-by-step guide to tying this bad boy.

The Messy Craw. Photo by: Jeff White

Messycraw (Orange Phase)

Materials:

Hook: Daiichi  2461 #2 Black Aberdeen or Equivalent

Thread: Uni Orange 3/0

Eyes: Medium Lead Dumbell

Rubber legs: Orange and Pumpkinseed

Marabou:  Orange and Olive/Brown

Body: Brown Chenille or Brown Aunt Lydia’s rug yarn

Flash: Flat Thin Gold Flashabou

____________________________________________________________

Step 1: tie in medium lead eyes one eye length behind hook eye

Step 1. Photo by Jeff White

Step 2.  Tie in 1 orange rubber leg and one pumpkin seed rubber leg at the bend of the hook. Fold over and cover with thread.

Step 2. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 3. Tie in one orange and one olive/brown marabou plume and palmer together at the bend of the hook.

Step 3. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 3.1. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 4. Cross Wrap orange and pumpkin seed rubber legs one-third back from the hook eye and ½ back from the hook eye.

Step 4. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 5. Tie in brown Aunt Lydias rug yarn at the hook bend and wrap forward to hook eye.

Step 5. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 6. Tie in 1 orange and one olive/brown marabou plume in front of the lead eyes and palmer around the hook.

Step 6. Photo by: Jeff White

Step 7. Tie in 5 strands of gold flashabou at the hook eye extending to the marabou tail.  Tie off and secure with cement.

Step 7. Photo by: Jeff White

Tying this pattern in a “blue phase” has also been pretty damn effective. Here is the recipe, the steps are identical:

Materials:

Hook: Daiichi  2461 #2 Black Aberdeen

Thread: Uni Olive 3/0

Eyes: Medium Lead Dumbell

Rubber legs: Blue/Silver Flake and Pumpkinseed

Marabou: Blue/dun and olive/brown

Body: Olive Chenille

Flash: Flat Blue Flashabou

Read Full Post »