{{+1}}Floating yabby / crayfish{{-1}}
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Large populations of dark olive Yabbies of the Cherax Genus have developed in both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene. Many anglers suggest that the Yabby has been responsible for changing the feeding habits of trout in the lakes as the populations of Yabbies have increased. In fact in both Lake Jindabyne and Lake Eucumbene you seldom catch a trout with a full stomach when the contents doesn't include yabbies. Yabbies live around the margins of the lake with the preferred habitat being muddy banks and shallows. They live in holes that they borrow into the banks and shallows and move from hole to hole as the water levels change. Whilst they are sometimes active during daylight hours it is the dusk to dawn that they prefer. They move out of their holes to relocate, to forage for food and to find mates. All of these activities make them vulnerable to trout. Juvenile Yabbies are available from February and trout targets yabbies of all sizes.
Over the years I have experimented with various Yabby patterns and whilst some have looked great unfortunately they have all been “dogs” to fish or more correctly to cast. Generally rather than using them I have reverted to fishing a weighted woolly bugger instead. Well all that has now changed and I now have a Yabby in my fly box, in both a floating and sinking version, that I have confidence in. Whilst this fly is hard to tie it's well worth the effort.
In the sinking form it should be fished with short a leader of around 9 feet on a floating line.
The best colour in the floating form appears to be black with some brown in the claws as tied below but olive is also useful. The floating Yabby is best suited to deeper water over a full sinking line with a leader of around 6 feet.
In the floating form it should be fished with short a leader of around 6 feet on a full sinking line.
For both the floating yabby and the sinking yabby retrieve using a jerky pumping action or twitch it in using a figure of 8 retrieve.
Materials
Hook | Thread | Sieves | Claws | Legs | Under-body | Head & back | Rib | Eyes |
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Size 6 - 8 3x long shank | Black & strong | Barbules from a peacock sword feather | Marabou, black over brown | Oversize black hen hackle | Black dubbing | 2 mm closed cell foam | Thread | Burnt monofilament |
Process
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