RiverKeeper Soft Hackle Cripple (John Kreft video tutorial)

[letumgo]

Last evening, during our Zoom meeting, ronr mentioned checking out "RiverKeeper Flies" on YouTube. This morning I was checking out their tying videos and was very impressed with this soft hackle cripple pattern. I encourage you to check out the video and watch it thru to the end. John Kreft shows several variations of this cripple pattern, which all look like highly effective patterns.



Ron (ronr) - Thank you for mentioning this. I am excited to tye and fish these patterns.

[catskiller9]

WOW! Excellent tying technique and presentation, thanks for sharing.

[ronr]

Kreft has an extensive catalogue of fly pattens on his website organize by bug and style... hasn't been doing videos very long, but his sbs demos are good. He lives very near the Metolius River and his travel blogs are quite interesting also.

[DUBBN]

Nice guy.

[jcwillow777]

Thanks for sharing Ray.

[DUBBN]

I have watched the video a few times. My teeth start hurting when I see how large the head of his flies are. I know that it is a personal choice.

I have always said it is easier to cut a tail off a fly than add one. That being said, I do not add wings to my soft hackles. I also know that it is my personal experiences and abilities that form my lack of faith in winged wets such as John Kreft demonstrated.

I ended up cutting the wings off my patterns when fishing drowned adults/Spinners/cripples, with soft hackles. I used all manners of materials for the wings. CDC, Z-lon, antron, Polypropylene from strike indicators, wool, egg yarn, Mcfly foam. I do much better with a water logged soft hackle, or flymph, greasing the leader to 1 or 2 inches from the fly. I rarely use them, but a spent pattern consisting of a split tail, dubbing, and Poly spent wings is a better producer for me.

I am not putting down patterns like the Leadwing Coachman, or Royal Coachman. There is a place for those, though I rarely use them.

These are only my opinions. I have zero data to back them up.

[letumgo]

greasing the leader to 1 or 2 inches from the fly

That is something I've not tried yet, but will definitely try this spring/summer. Thank you for sharing Wayne.

[tworod]

There is a place for winged wets...........everywhere.

[letumgo]

Whoa. Those are beautiful winged wets. Nice job.

[redietz]

Thanks for posting that. I never thought of the crinkled Zelon as a wing. I'll definitely try it.

I love mallard coverts for soft hackle. And mallard wings are still inexpensive.

I fish soft hackles dry quite a bit, especially during spinner falls. It look like the fly he showed would work well for that.