Mad River Outfitters: Friday Flies: BC Cranefly Larva by Brian Flechsig

Around here, we have always felt that the Cranefly Larva was the unsung hero of all nymphs! He’ll never make the cover of Fly Fisherman Magazine, but wildly important as a food source for our Brown Trout in the Mad River…..and probably for trout in your neck of the woods.

Although there were a few patterns that I have always carried with me, I couldn’t help but think there was a better, more realistic way to tie them. I just never really tried that hard, nor had any solid ideas….until…..

It was the Fall of 2020 when Blane Chocklett released his book, “Game Changer” and in that book, he reminded me of a super cool material, that he invented, called Sili Skin. It was originally used for his famous Gummy Minnow flies and then I had started using it to cover the bodies on the “Fly Pala” flies that Blane taught us. I bought a bunch and was tying both of the flies above, when the idea came to me.

We did a video on this fly a few years back maybe? Never did get around to a step-by-step here on the Blog so we figured we’d get that done here as well as a reminder. We wound up naming the fly the BC Cranefly Larva…..in honor of Blane and his amazing Sili Skin.

A very simple fly really, but a few tricks in working with the Sili Skin. Tie some up…..and fish them. You will be pleasantly surprised. Big trout LOVE cranefly larva.

Step 1: Start your thread and lay a thread base. Then weight the hook shank with .035” lead wire. You want this fly to be pretty dang heavy so about ¾ of the shank should be covered with wire. End up with your thread back at the bend of the hook.

Step 2: Tie in the Medium Silver Wire, the Olive Micro Chenille and then the Medium Gray Chenille….in that order. When tying in the Chenille, I lay it down the entire length of the hook shank, in order to build up some further bulk to the body of the fly.

Step 3: Wrap your chenille forward and tie off. Then wrap the Micro Chenille as a “rib”, evenly spaced as if you were ribbing a nymph (which you are). Tie this off, throw a few half-hitches and then cut your thread. We will restart later to secure the Sili Skin and wire rib.

Step 4: Now you will prepare the Sili Skin. Cut a piece just slightly longer than the hook shank and about 1”wide. Make a ¼” or so cut in one of the ends of the skin. This is where you will bring the wire into so you get a clean start on your wraps with it.

Step 5: Restart your thread AT THE BEND of the hook, so that you can secure the rear of the Sili Skin.

Step 6: Remove the backing from the Sili Skin, being careful that it doesn’t stick to itself. Do it slowly! Fold the Sili Skin over top of the fly and stick it to itself underneath the fly. Then cut the excess flush with the underside of the bottom of the fly. Best to use a long blade, super sharp scissors for this.

Step 7: Secure the rear of the Sili Skin at the bend of the hook with the brown thread hanging. Build up some wraps here at the bend to secure the Sili Skin, then half-hitch and cut the thread. (You’ll have to half-hitch over the wire and all). You may have to pull or pluck some excess Sili Skin from behind/under the thread wraps.

Step 8: Restart your thread at the head of the fly now, and do the same to secure the front of the Sili Skin. Now we will wind the Medium Silver wire as a rib, over top of the Sili Skin. I usually try to mimic the wraps of the Micro Chenille which can be seen through the skin. This adds a really cool look of segmentation, as well as secures the Sili Skin in place. Tie off the Wire at the head and whip finish.

Step 9: You will now finish the fly with a “candy coating” of Bone Dry UV resin. This, in conjunction with the Sili Skin, is really what makes this fly.