Tuesday 10 September 2013

EA Foam Cricket

Extended Abdomen Foam Cricket



Looks like September is the Cricket month... I have put up all my cricket pattern in one shoot... :)

The technique for tying this cricket pattern is very similar with the EA Stonefly X.. just combine that with my Cricket V2 or V3... you will get this.

Material:

Pheasant tail fiber for Antenna and knob legs
Close cell foam - Black, Brown, Tan or Yellow
Tape Wing or Hen Saddle ( cemented ) as Wings
Hook -  TMC 2302 size 6
 Goose biots for tail
Barred rubber legs
Markers
 
Step by step tying instructions:
 
Cut 2 pcs of 2mm or 3mm thick close cell foam ( depend on the size of cricket you are tying )
 
 Tie in the foam as the taper for the abdomen

Tie in the Goose biot, fold over the foam, tie down as the 1st segment of the abdomen

Do a few segment, and tie down at the last... whip finish

Prepare the hook, very important to do a thread base to the hook shank, tie down the abdomen portion

Tie down the foam... with the proper thread base, the foam will not spin around

Take about 8-10 Pheasant tail, knot the fiber to form the legs

Tie in the legs

Continue tying the foam... 

Use a toothpick, make a hole on the foam

Fold the foam over the hook eye

Tie down

Do another hole with the toothpick

Fold the foam over, tie down the lower portion in a figure 8 to create the mouth portion of the cricket ( to secure the foam )

Tie on the foam, about same level with the abdomen
 
Use needle to bring in a pair of Pheasant tail fiber as the antenna, tie down the foam 
 
Trim the head
 
Tie in the rubber legs
 
Color the foam ( Optional )
 
Dub in some dubbing

Tie in some floating yarn as inner wing ( Optional )

Tie in the foam wing

Tie in another foam for thorax

Tie down the foam

Trim the foam

Color the cricket ( Optional )

Last step... drop the Loon Hard Head as eye... and...

Take it to the fish....

Monday 2 September 2013

Foamular of Foam Cricket V3

Foam Cricket V3
Materials:

Pheasant tail fiber for Antenna and knob legs

Close cell foam - Black, Brown, Tan or Yellow
Tape Wing or Hen Saddle ( cemented ) as Wings
Hook - Gamakatsu B10S size 8 and 6 ( specially for Malaysian fish ) / TMC 2302 ( for trout )
 Goose biots for tail



Step by step tying instructions:


Cut a foam about 15mm wide, taper the foam as per above

 Prepare the hook and hook in the foam, tie it down at the end, tie in some foam to create the inner taper body

 Tie in a pair of Goose biots as tail

Tie down the bottom portion of abdomen

Tie down the top abdomen portion

Prepare a pair of knotted pheasant tail leg

Tie in the legs

Tie down the foam about 3-4mm away from the hook eye

Color the abdomen with marker

Fold the foam over and put thru the hook eye and tie down

Again, fold the foam over the eye

 figure 8 for the mouth portion to secure the profile

 Trim the foam

Tie on the foam, about same level with the abdomen

Use needle to bring in a pair of Pheasant tail fiber as the antenna

Tie down the foam and trim away just before the legs

Tie in the rubber legs

Dub in some dubbing to split the legs

Tie in the foam wing

Tie in another pcs of foam

Fold the foam over, tie down til just before the legs

Trim the foam, create as thorax

Color the thorax...

Top view

Side view

Cheers and have fun tying...

Tight lines...