After reading about how trout love to eat crane fly larvae, I went looking for them to see what all the fuss was about. Not far from my home in Boulder, Colorado, flows a small stream called Boulder Creek. I went down to the creek and started dumping rocks looking for crane fly larvae. Lo and behold, the stream was loaded with the larva of the giant crane fly (Tipula abdominalis). I collected some samples, put them in a quart jar and took them home to my fly tying bench. You can imagine how excited my wife was when she saw the jar of “worms” on my fly tying bench. Don’t worry though, he had come to expect such strange behavior. A jar full of “worms” was always preferred to roadkill.
I started experimenting with different Ligas dubbing combinations (the Ligas dubbing product produced a more translucent effect than other dubbing materials) until I got an absolutely perfect mix to match the color of the larva To duplicate the translucent effect of the larva of the crane fly, I used a loop folding technique to tie the imitation. A #2 Mustad 9672 hook was the perfect length to match the size of the crane fly larva I had in the jar. When I was done, I dropped the imitation into the jar to see how close it had come to matching the real thing. My imitation was so perfect that I couldn’t tell the difference between the real larva and my imitation except for the hook sticking out of it! I couldn’t wait to try it. I went fishing on my favorite river, North Platte in Wyoming, about 15 miles upriver from Saratoga, Wyoming, on a state-leased section called “Treasure Island.”
Later, at the end of my fishing day, I ran into two other fly fishermen in the parking lot and asked them if they had any luck. Expressing their disappointment, they informed me that they had only caught two trout. They complained that the river was too high and the water too cloudy. They were locals and they assured me that the fishing would improve a lot once the runoff stopped; then they asked me how I was. I proudly replied; “I had a great day. I caught about 30 fish.” They both reacted in amazement and of course wanted to know what he was wearing. They were both very surprised when I showed them my imitation crane fly.
For years I tied flies for the Great Rocky Mountian Fur Company of Saratoga, Wyoming, and they used my crane fly pattern extensively. Tom Wearsema, the owner of the store, told me that the first time he caught my crane fly larva pattern, it produced the largest brown trout he had ever caught on North Platte. I also sent the crane fly larva pattern to Rod Walinchus of Rawlins, Wyoming (The Great Divide Flyfishers) for his book “The Flies of South Wyoming”. After the book was published, Rod sent me a copy of the book. He included a note saying that he had caught an 8½ pound brown on the fly on his first pitch! About a year later, I saw an article in the Rocky Mountain News written by an outdoor writer extolling the fishing properties of an “ugly-looking olive cigar.” Word had spread.
As I mentioned earlier, a crane fly larva is translucent and three colors will mimic most larvae: light gray olive, tan, or dark olive. The fly is easy to tie and has a very simple design. It is shaped like a tiny cigar.
I tie them weighted in sizes 2, 4, 6 and 8. For South Platte in Cheeseman Canyon near Decker’s Colorado, a size 6 and 8 in tan and dark olive colors are preferred. However, in larger rivers like the North Platte, the Green, the Big Horn or the Colorado, for example; Sizes 2 and 4 are better. The further north you go, the larger the crane fly larva becomes. In Montana, I fish only the very heavy size 2 in light olive gray.
There are two presentation methods for the fly fisherman to fish for crane fly larvae: one, you can set them adrift as you would any other nymph; when fishing with nymph. Or two, you can fish them on a sinking line using a short 6-foot leader with a hand-spin slow retrieve. I have had tremendous success with both methods. For really wide waters, the sinking line method will take the fly to places that would otherwise be very difficult to reach with a nymph style of fishing.
The best time to fish for crane fly larvae is from early May to late July. I have fished using the pattern in all seasons except winter.
Where to catch the larva of the crane fly? I start at the head of any race just below the rapid. I like to throw the fly in the fast water above and let it wash away on the run. Don’t be surprised if you get an immediate shot. From there, I test all the fishable spots throughout the run.
When fishing for crane fly on a sinking line, use a size 2 or 4. Drift for the first half of the cast and swim for the second half. The largest pattern will be taken as a crane fly larva and/or as a minnow. The sinking line technique is very deadly and will produce the biggest fish in the river.
As for a “pretty” fly, the crane fly larva isn’t very impressive to look at, however, the trout don’t know that. They just want to eat it. Use a minimum of 3X tippet or stronger. The most dominant fish in the stream are usually the first to taste it; so hold on and make sure you have your camera with you.
