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Tying the Quigley Cripple Dry Fly

One of the best dry flies for picky trout during a mayfly hatch.

Tying the Quigley Cripple Dry Fly

Quigley Cripple Recipe

  • Hook: TMC 100 #12-22
  • Thread: 8/0
  • Rib: Fine Copper wire
  • Tail/Abdomen: Brown Marabou Fibers
  • Thorax: Superfine Dubbing
  • Wing: Natural Deer Hock
  • Hackle: Grizzly Rooster Hackle

Tying The Quigley Cripple

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 1 of 11

Start the thread and tie in a piece of fine copper wire. Wrap back over the wire to the bend.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 2 of 11

Peel off several fibers from a marabou feather and even their tips.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 3 of 11

Tie the tips of the marabou in at the bend with two turns of thread. The tail should be about a half shank long.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 4 of 11

Lift the butt ends of the marabou and bring the thread back to the starting point.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 5 of 11

Wrap the butt ends of the marabou forward to the starting point and tie off. Clip the excess.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 6 of 11

Spiral wrap the wire forward through the marabou abdomen to the front and tie it off. Clip excess.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 7 of 11

Dub a small ball at the front of the abdomen with the Superfine dubbing. Be sure to leave at least an eye length of bare shank in front of the dubbing.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 8 of 11

Cut, clean and stack a clump of deer hair and measure it against the hook so it is a shank length long.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 9 of 11

Tie the deer hair in in front of the dubbing clump with several tight turns of thread. Clip the butt ends to a short brush.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 10 of 11

Tie in a grizzly hackle by its butt end in the space between the butt and the base of the hair tips.

Tying The Quigley Cripple Step 11 of 11

Wrap the hackle feather three turns and tie off. Clip the excess. Whip finish and trim the thread.

Finished Quigley Cripple

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