NymphNine-Pound Hammer
The Nine-Pound Hammer is an improved, purpose-built crayfish variation of the Woolly Bugger designed for indicator fishing. This jig-style pattern features a slotted tungsten bead on a heavy-wire jig hook, layered marabou tail in blue, purple, and gray, Chicone's Crusher Legs for antennae and rear legs, palmered grizzly hackle over an SLF Prism dubbing body, and a distinctive coq de Leon hen saddle collar that creates an artistic carapace suggesting a crayfish shell.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Intermediate
Trout, Bass
Dec 2025
Overview
This Charlie Craven pattern from Charlie's Fly Box represents a modern reimagining of the classic Woolly Bugger, specifically designed to imitate crayfish during their vulnerable molting stage. The gray-blue coloration matches teneral crayfish that have recently shed their shells, making them softer and more attractive to predatory trout and bass. Developed through collaboration with guides Marty Mononi, Brian Schmidt, and others, the Nine-Pound Hammer improves on the Thin Mint concept with more imitative features and color options. The key design element is the oversized coq de Leon hen saddle collar that envelops the body, creating a Van Gogh-like mottled carapace. The Tiemco 708 2X heavy-wire 40-degree jig hook provides the ideal platform for this Ned Rig-inspired design.
Materials
Hook: Tiemco 708, #6-12
Bead: Tungsten Bead Slotted, purple (4.6mm for #6, 3.0-5.5mm range)
Thread: Veevus 8/0, black
Tail: Marabou, blue over purple over gray
Flash: Flashabou, blue
Antennae: Chicone's Crusher Legs (micro), blue and purple
Hackle: Saddle Hackle (grizzly, low-grade)
Body: SLF Prism Dubbing, electric blue
Collar: Coq de Leon Hen Saddle, kingfisher blue
Legs: Chicone's Crusher Legs (micro), blue and purple
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: Recently-molted crayfish retreat awkwardly into cover using clumsy backward swimming motions, their pale blue-gray soft shells and exposed joints making them conspicuous. The oversized coq de Leon collar envelops the body like the vulnerable, freshly-shed carapace of teneral crayfish.
Where Trout Eat It: Trout hunt this pattern near bottom structure where soft-shell crayfish hide after molting—specifically in undercut banks, behind boulders, and in deep pockets. The jig hook design and mottled collar make it effective bouncing through rocky substrate.
How to Fish It: Fish on 2X tether under large dry fly or indicator, adjusting bead size (3mm-5.5mm) for depth and current speed. Allow it to sink and bounce along bottom structure, or strip slowly along undercuts to imitate retreating crayfish.
Best Water: Target undercut banks with root tangles where big browns hunt vulnerable soft-shell crayfish, plus gravel bars that drop into pockets. The weighted jig hook excels in pocket water with moderate to heavy flows.
Strike Type: Indicator takes vary from slow steady pulls to abrupt dunks as browns and rainbows grab the crayfish imitation; set firmly when you see indicator movement or feel resistance.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on a 2X tether under an indicator or a large dry fly like a Big Fat Angie. Adjust bead size based on water depth and speed. Use 3mm-5.5mm beads depending on conditions.
Seasonal Timing: Most effective during through when crayfish are active. Particularly productive during crayfish molting periods when soft-shell individuals are abundant and vulnerable.
Pro Tips: This is a subsurface pattern designed to sink and suspend near the bottom. The electric blue SLF Prism dubbing adds flash and visibility in darker water while the mottled hen saddle collar provides realistic movement and profile.
Entomology
Crayfish in their soft-shelled molting stage move awkwardly backward with reduced defensive capabilities, their pale coloration making them highly visible against rocky substrates. Trout aggressively pursue recently-molted crayfish because the absence of a hardened carapace makes them dramatically easier to consume and digest compared to their armored counterparts.
- Organism Type
- crustacean
- Life Stage
- general