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....