Letort Cricket
The Letort Cricket is a classic terrestrial pattern developed by Pennsylvania angler and fly tyer Ed Shenk for the highly selective trout of Letort Spring Run. Shenk created it after watching trout feed on crickets while refusing his Letort Hopper, and reportedly caught a three-pound trout the first time he fished the new pattern. It is most effective during the warmer months when crickets are active along grassy banks and regularly fall into the water. The fly should usually be presented with a natural dead drift, although an occasional twitch can suggest a struggling insect. It is especially useful on spring creeks and other clear, slow-moving waters where trout closely inspect their food. The deer-hair wing helps it float without making the pattern overly bulky, but keeping the body slim and the wing properly proportioned can be challenging when tying it.
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Recipe
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Hook · dry fly 2X sizes 12 - 16
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Thread · black
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Body · black rabbit fur
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Wings · black goose quill
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Overwing · black deer hair
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Head · black deer hair spun and clipped
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Legs · black pheasant barbules (optional)