Tying a Black Cricket by Davie McPhail

Materials Used;
Hi Everyone , It's Bill Skilton’s Stretchy Foam that I used and not Thin Foam as I said in the video, sorry....
Here is a list of the materials I used;
Hook, size 10 dry fly
Thread, Uni 8/0 black
Tail, Dyed Black Turkey or Goose Biots
Body, Bill Skilton’s Stretchy Foam and Black Dubbing
Back, Bill Skilton’s Stretchy Foam
Legs, Dyed Black Turkey Biots and a Dyed Black Cock Hackle
Thorax Cover, Black Foam
Head, Black Dubbing
Horns, Dyed Black Pheasant Tail

[@LouBanditelli]

This gentleman is the bob Ross of fly tying, it is a work of art. Now to the tying desk.

[@flytyer2368]

I realize the previous comment is an old one, but I want to state that Davie is THE best tyer alive today and perhaps the best non-realistic pattern fly tyer ever to live. He is truly gifted. He is also a superb artist as well. God must have been having a good day when he decided what skills to give to this gentleman.

[@raymondmichaellarkin6455]

He IS the best.

[@marshallbaldwin8960]

Well stated! I’ve learned loads about fly tying from Davie.

[@lars9415]

Thank you, Dave, great pattern, great Video, almost hypnotic, calm mood. Love it . Very inspiring...

[@edwardcharles9764]

I can watch this guy for hours! Fabulous.

[@emilleum48]

Dave, this is an incredible tie for a black cricket, thank you, MSG Leum

[@jackreeves3001]

One of the coolest flies you've done. Thanks for sharing!

[@timwood8733]

superb skills -spectacular -well done

[@user-xf1xw9te5f]

Вот ,это я ещё не видела...Отличная работа!Обязательно сделаю такую!👍👍🔥🔥

[@derekharris4922]

Great job. I really like to watch people tie flies and poppers.

[@marshallbaldwin8960]

This is such an outstanding cricket fly. Thank you Davie

[@marshallbaldwin8960]

This is an amazing cricket pattern. Thank you Davie.

[@H4MILC4R]

Bravo! That is art. I can't wait to try this one. We have lots of black crickets here in Florida and this fly will undoubtedly knock em dead. Thank you.

[@adamsaarinen3134]

Magic, surely fantastic in greens and browns too! Should be known as the american express card fly, never leave home with out it! Thanx Davie!

[@thierrytassery2198]

Toujours parfaitement stupéfié par votre talent. Tout a l’air simple, ..., mais quelle intelligence derrière tout cela. Merci, et merci encore

[@tthomp57]

Wow, that's the nicest cricket pattern I've seen. The legs are far better than the rubber, store bought legs available locally. I fish a lot of nearby farm ponds for Largemouth Bass and Bluegill. This should work well. Ps. You now have thousands of men in the U.S., myself included, using the term "tidy up"; an otherwise very uncommon term here. Now, when I hear it, I ask: You've been watching Davie McPhail, haven't you?

[@stevepalmateer]

"suit yourself" and "take yer time" are my personal faves.

[@RalphBellairs]

Looking forward to trying these for the carp and chub. Thanks Davie...excellent as always.

[@Cat-hc4jy]

Great tying Davie,its a joy to behold your skill at the vice..thanx for posting.

[@kentw.897]

Very Nice Davie. Unusual looking guy. Thanx 4 sharing this video with us. 🌴🎣🏄‍♂️Aloha🦗

[@mlevesque33]

A great looking pattern you tied Davie. Very realistic.

[@gravityalwayswins1434]

Yet another mind blowing tie. This cat is SO far beyond pedestrian fly tying. Thanks again for the vids.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Robert Rowlands, I'm glad you enjoyed the video and that you like the fly... All the very best Davie

[@jeffnelson2197]

😳 it’s like watching a magic show! You are amazing! Wow! 👍🏼

[@BeaRrug66]

No, he is the Michelangelo of fly tying! He is a master!

[@flytyerstreaming3791]

I have to agree it's the best hopper pattern I have seen as well.

[@johnnyrepole1180]

Truly truly a work of art. Thank you Davie.

[@FelipeOliveira-to8qv]

Very nice Mr. Davie,Im going to try one of those here in Brazil. Tks!!!

[@gwoodward2264]

That cricket looks fantastic.! Thank you. Gerry Woodward, Delta B.C. Canada.

[@seanmooney3907]

On of my favorite terrestrial patterns. All the best, Sean

[@user-lo2sc4dd1f]

Шикарный сверчёк! Класс! 👍🤝🇰🇿

[@breatnac47]

Great tie, laddie, never tire of your videos.

[@jackreeves3001]

I enjoyed it very much. And you are correct this is what fly tying is all about. This cricket is amazing.

[@johannes903]

a nother great one. thx MR. McPhail . keep up the good work

[@l.e.o.1127]

Very nice. You are an artist sir

[@timmaccowan]

Another beautiful fly. Great video. Thanks

[@danielgroth3070]

Lovely fly, and tying Davie😊😊😍😍😍😍😍👍

[@pinguin7216]

How could someone unlike this great Video. The best Terrestrial i've seen so far. Thanks a lot for your Videos an keep going. Greets from Switzerland.

[@Sidiousmoz]

Will you look at the size of those scissors! They are like the Excaliburs of fly tying. Beautiful tie.

[@finchhaden7016]

Gorgeous fly. Thank you, Mr. McPhail.

[@nicholasdeluca3580]

Amazing. Thank you.

[@JT-gw8ni]

Браво!!! Отличная работа!!!

[@1royalwolf]

Simply amazing skill. You are very good at what you do mate. Well done

[@bencopp5059]

woah! this is an awesome video and an amazing fly! i really want to get into fly fishing and i would very much like to tie my own flies some day! you, sir are my true inspiration to want to get into the calm amazing art of fly fishing!

[@danagboi]

13:39 "well looks the part anyway, so, gives the impression..." - KZbin understatement of the year.

[@b.andreatta6908]

Hi Davie, that is another great tutorial from you! Thank you for all these great videos! all the best Bernie

[@DavieMcPhail]

Many Thanks Bernie....ATB Davie

[@salmonko1]

Good job... Thanks for sharing!

[@andysfishingandflytyingcha2310]

Great pattern Davie.

[@finaovidiu4465]

you are the master oh fly tying

[@015diesel]

Love to watch the master at his craft. Thanks very much Davie...

[@striperjohn]

Another great pattern and perfect time of the year to fish. Thanks Davie and do try to make it to the Somerset, NJ. show in November. Many would be pleased to see you there. Stay well and thanks for all of your inspirational work.

[@carlyoshizumi831]

I allway's injoy watching your video's.👍👍

[@user-qt3hx1eh8u]

Классное видео и жук классный.👍🕷👍

[@benjaminwhite6134]

I have only just found this and wow, very good. Be a killer pattern here in nz

[@KCK1607]

Most Excellant, Great video, great detail! Thank You!

[@johnriley9711]

nice fly been wanted to do some of these for quit sometime cause up here in NEW HAMPSHIRE we have lots of these and trout just love them

[@zlatko6846]

bravo nice cricket, the best video hi from macedonia

[@benparker6753]

Now that's matching the hatch

[@mauriciogarzonossa7943]

Te felicito por ese gran aporte a esta gran pasion

[@marcoluengomaluenda4054]

muy bonito y como siempre excelente atado!!

[@brianstevens3858]

On attaching the foam an alternate method that works well is to cut a long very thin v and laying it over the hook, I don't think it makes any real end difference but my old fingers tend to break the foam instead of just compressing, and that seems to help.

[@nogheavictor64]

WAOO ! Is INCREDIBLE !

[@yomosquero]

Thanks Davie! inspire my best flies!

[@hdmalpas]

I will give this one a go, thanks Davie.

[@nblake10001]

Work of art

[@brievX]

Really nice! Have 2 try it 4 miself...!

[@TheCanary24]

Perfect!

[@luizcarloscavassana9301]

Parabéns pelo seu trabalho Gostei

[@kenelliott6458]

Great little fly mate. They are super for crappie and bluegills here in the U.S.. Thanks for sharing it with us my friend. Best Regards, Ken

[@jeffreystone7327]

Thank you Sir for sharing this. This is by far the best cricket pattern I have ever seen tied. Truly a fly tying masterpiece. Thank you and God bless. Would this fly be available to purchase?

[@cjr65000]

Awesome mate!!

[@pereiraad]

Perfeito, pena que aqui no Brasil não temos disponível alguns materiais para tanta eficiência e perfeição.

[@mealex303]

Amazing

[@Yelucario]

As productive as this fly would be, I think I would rather put it on display!

[@user-sp4zo5cp9j]

Супер работа!

[@1chefbr]

Incredible video! As always! Hope you have a very prosperous and happy new year. Thank you so much for your enjoyable videos. Happy 2016!!

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi 1chefbr, Thank you for the very kind words and wishes, a Happy New Year to you to and all the very best for 2016... ATB Davie..

[@MrDoctorSaw]

Nice!

[@pietrozanocco9012]

Bellissimo !

[@Surrealart1702]

Great

[@tomatony9295]

A great fly man u are nr 1

[@Piterszczyk]

Awesome :)

[@treeresponsive8486]

thank you so mush in my home town this is the most powerful bait , and it's very hard to catch now i will just try to made it

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi شجرة العائلة التفاعلية ,شجرة العائلة التفاعلية‬‎ I hope the fly does well for you and thank you for your kind words... All the very best Davie

[@reggie50fishing87]

Mate thats awsome.... wish I could do that. I could but dont know how . Were do I start, its so delicate. Ie.... stuff that one needs to do that. Money saved, lol.

[@Nobody-up6zc]

Superb-a-Mundo

[@seanmooney3907]

Davie, I have a cricket, grasshopper thief. I have tied dozens of these and each time I go to give one away, I go to get them and they are gone! I think it is my son-in-law. I made them with black and black glitter foam so it would pick up light at night. Tied tan, dark tan, and green grass hoppers. All gone. I am going to have to get a safe. I bet he has taken 300 flies from my tied flies. I did another inventory (he was here the other day!) Not one did he leave me. I am going to send him a bill for flies missing after his visits. What do you think, 3.00 each. You know they take me longer to tie than they do you. All in good fun. All the best to you and your family. Sean

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Sean, You need to put them in a safe as that would stop him and send him the bill for the flies I would.... All the very best Davie

[@seanmooney3907]

That's what I thought. He couldn't possibly need that many crickets and grass hoppers, not to mention the steelhead flies. He didn't take any tube flies. Maybe he just doesn't know how to use them. I think most people think fly tying is easy and cheap. Not so. Some are easy but the materials are never cheap. Thanks for the advise I think I will take it. All the best to you and yours. Sean

[@Nikbaldin71]

👍🏻

[@gwoodward2264]

P.S. My grand mother on my mums side was, Marry McPhail ! Gerry Woodward, Delta B.C. Canada.

[@bohumirhrncir1078]

🇨🇿CZ 👀👍🏻 super 👍🏻👋🏻

[@CarlosA19]

Muito bom!

[@johnfurlow4906]

Davie, What is the name of the black biot you are using? My hearing isn't as good as it used to be. Thank you for an amazing pattern

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi John Furlow, It was Turkey Biots I used but also tye some with rubber legs as they do last a bit longer than the biots... I have attached a link to the biots I used... All the very best Davie www.anglers-lodge.co.uk/product/turkey-biots-wapsi/

[@roderickwalker7168]

HI, Mr. McPhail, I have just got to tell you man, that you are the Greatest. I am just getting started with tying but man i can watch you until my eyes get tired. Do you have any advice you can give me? Because I really want to be good at tying.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Roderick Walker, I would start with simple patterns like a wet fly with a tail, rib, body and hackle and then progressing by adding a wing on so that you get used to the proportions..Less is best, as most problems start with doing one turn too many and a little bit more dubbing and before you know it your proportions are all out so take your time and always go back if you are not happy, so enjoy your tying... All the very best Davie

[@MarceloJost]

Dave, the musical introduction to your recent videos have an year 2011 in it, which keep me thinking they are just re-uploads of older videos. Is that so? Thank you :)

[@jtarryohpengyew8173]

May I ask how you tie the Legs ? It's very hard to tie with such a short meterial

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi jTarry Oh Peng Yew, When I tyed this fly I did look for the longest turkey biots I could find to make the knot for the legs but I have to be honest most use rubber legs or knotted pheasant tails fibres which would be the one I would choose...I have attached a link to the hopper pre-knotted legs for you to see..I also tye them myself so I have attached a link to a video where I use a crochet hook to form the knot though you would have to do more than one fibre to get the width of the leg for a cricket...I hope this is of some help to you.. All the very best Davie kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnm4fmt8d7aDms0 www.orvis.co.uk/p/legs-on-a-stick/747T?adv=19052&cm_mmc=PLAs-_-google-_-allprod-_-19052&mr:referralID=f473b962-707f-11e6-8083-005056941669&gclid=CN78qND87s4CFaQV0wodhoICXw

[@jtarryohpengyew8173]

Thanks.

[@kathleennovits8185]

Davie McPhail b

[@JonasTheLundh]

Is this a re-post of an older video, or am I just too unattentive to spot any difference between them? Still a great fly though =)

[@hibsboy9]

Yeah think he's up grading them all to HD which is great

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Jonas Lundh, Yes I've started to upload all my older videos I can to HD which I hope will make them a bit better especially the popular ones..I'm glad you still enjoy them... All the very best Davie

[@fullstrutn]

I noticed when I traveled there ,many many black slugs ,are these ever fished or tied?

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi fullstrutn, Zonker patterns are excellent for representing a slug or leach and the fish do like them a lot...I've attached links to a couple of styles you may like to try... All the very best Davie kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZC0Y2lorbGVrZI kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmOYmp6EqLCpkMk

[@user-xf1xw9te5f]

Davie,Please tie a wasp or a bee. Thank you

[@KEITHPARRIS2949]

Hi Davie ,great videos ,watch em every night , but i have one question I cant find an answer to online , can you please tell me where on the bird the biots are , as i shoot my own game etc but can not find the darn biots lol ?, thanks in anticipation , Keith

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Keith, I'm glad you enjoy watching the videos, I've attached a link which shows where the biots come from. I hope this is of some help to you... All the very best Davie www.sexyloops.com/flytying/summerbiots.shtml

[@KEITHPARRIS2949]

***** thanks Davie, thats great more than I could find anywhere , .Ireally love the way you manage to explain some of the little techniques i have struggled with for a while . thanks agai , keep up the good work . Keith

[@RalphBellairs]

Does this pattern work with ordinary thin foam as the Stretchy Foam seems to be unavailable now.

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi David, The stretchy foam is by far the best to use but unfortunately as you know it's not available as I have been trying to buy it since I tyed this pattern..I have used normal foam but it's not as good..If I do ever find some I'll certainly let everyone know... All the very best Davie

[@RalphBellairs]

Thank you.

[@benparker6753]

I can't get the goose biots in a knot

[@DavieMcPhail]

Hi Ben Parker, The goose biots do look good on this fly but if you are having problems with them then just use either knotted pheasant tail fibres or rubber legs which seam to be the most popular in this pattern now... All the very best Davie

[@benparker6753]

***** thank you this video and pattern is awesome and now that I can get the legs down its great some sunfish are going to have sore lips for a while

[@David-uj2ms]

Ben Parker or use turkey biots ... they are longer than Goose biots and easier to tie into a knot.

[@buratek]

Лайк.

[@MrAndr55]

Live in America and do not know ..... It's different grasshoppers Black is corn

[@doughamil2343]

Where can you buy that foam?

[@DavieMcPhail]

HiDoug Hamil, After buying the foam from a local shop and tying the fly I couldn't believe how hard it was to find the foam again. It originally came from a gentleman called Bill Skilton in America, I did contact him as he was selling on ebay but he didn't get back to me...I'm sorry I wish I could be of more help and if I do ever find a supply I will certainly let everyone know... All the very best Davie

[@H4MILC4R]

Doug Hamil So I've seen people asking about the foam he's using and I think I found it, it's called "Evazote Foam" and it's a 1/8" thick peace of closed cell foam. I just ordered some off Amazon and I will give you guys an update when I get it in to confirm its the right stuff. Here is the link if you want to check it out. amzn.com/B0039NU09Q

[@DavieMcPhail]

HiBarca Bro, A huge thank you for the info and please let us know what you think of the foam when you get it... All the very best Davie

[@LAUGHOUTLOUDPUPPETS]

Hey Davie could you send me your email so I can send you some pics of some of my hoppers and crickets I want your opinion. I use them here in Canada for trout and bass and other panfish. ive tied your cricket and caught many panfish. keep making those videos my friend your pretty awesome tyer.

[@tomrabon373]

Do you sell your

[@seanmooney3907]

+Tom Rabon Everyone eventually asks Davie if he sells his flies. He gives them to good friends going on fishing trips. He is a professional fly designer and works for someone. Not sure but I think Davie gets credit but the designs belong to the company he works for. In any case, he doesn't sell flies to the public. They are all collectable. All the best, Sean