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Crab Flies

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
Are there any examples of crab patterns for stripers that we could see? If so thanks for the info. I think that the crab is difficult to imitate.
 
#3 ·
I had great luck with this one out on Monomoy and Brewster Flats... the "easygreen" crab fly:



Hook: TMC 811s, circle hook, or other SW quality hook.

Eyes: non-toxic barbell eyes. Note the other fly is tied with weight inside the felt body, no eyes - as an optional method.

Frame: 50# monofilament loop tied crosswise to shank with cut ends on same side (they become eyes). Make loop like a figure 8 with the top cut off at the eyes, tie the "waist" of the loop to the shank of the hook. Substitute extruded lead for monofilament frame if omitting eyes to keep crab rightside up.

Tail: single or double mottled marabou flank feather tied in to center and laid on top of rear loop.

Legs: green rubber with speckles, or your choice. Lay like a madam X fly and cross wrap to hold in place

Body: tan craft felt topped with green craft felt (craft store) cut to match and glued like a sandwich over the mono loop, legs, eyes and tail feather. I prefer a gel-style glue that does not harden the felt... this rules out superglue, zap-a-gap, etc. I had good luck with plumbers goop believe it or not. Aquaseal is good but pricey and hard to work with. I've not found the perfect glue but you want one that preserves the fuzziness and ligth weight of the felt while offering durability.

Markings: pantone permanent dye pen... make various markings like a crab

Eyes: melt the tips of the mono, make sure they are not allowed to touch each other

It's simply a mind-blower to crawl these flies on the sand, twitching them slightly and watching a cow turn and inhale a pound of sand with the fly.

!!! Stripers crush crabs with their rear mashing plates (in the throat) so crab flies are easily swallowed. Set the hook right away or use circle hooks. I have begun to tie them on circle hooks (the one standing up to show underside is a circle hook).

More experimentation to follow.

Juro
 
#4 ·
Juro,

Very nice looking flies! Is that red paint on the hook point? If it is I'd imagine that is an easy way of telling if a sharpening is in order - correct?

I've tied crabs with the craft yarn and haven't really used them much - they certainly look pretty cool in the flybox though.

They sell those velcro dots in craft departments too, and I'd imagine they'd work too. I was looking at felt in the craft store a couple of weeks ago trying to figure a use, looks like I found one. BTW picked up a bunch of closed cell foam sheets for a song at the craft store - gonna tie some gurglers.

Pete
 
#5 ·
Pete -

That's er... um.... blood! Yeah that's it, blood! They were so sharp I looked at them thru the viewfinder and my finger started to bleed!


That damn salt water! Got into the hookholes in the foam flybox. I didn't think anyone would catch it... ever consider forensics?
 
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