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Crabs and shrimp are a staple food source for fish like the Redfish, black drum, pompano, and other popular saltwater sport fish. These are fun fish to catch while fishing flats as you can sight cast to them while they are eating. I fish a lot for redfish down in the Gulf of Texas and the reds down there love eating crabs. Most crabs are difficult to tie, but when you get them down they can work really really well. This crab fly has worked really well for me and my closest fishing buddies for fishing redfish in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a great representation of a blue crab, but can mimic other crab species if you want to tie it in other colors. It sits on the bottom in a defensive stance which make it look like a crab trying to use its pinchers against a redfish or other crustacean eater. They aren't easy to tie and definitely aren't quick, but do work well. So give it a try.

Crab flies are staples for many saltwater fish. Redfish, permit, black drum, and more will go after a crab before anything else. The tasty little invertebrates are treats for these fish. Its no wonder why crab flies are staples in many saltwater fishermans boxes. This crab is based off a Merkin crab, however I made it quicker and easier to tie. The legs on the side of the fly have been replaced with more feelers in the front to make it quicker and easier to tie. http://youtu.be/pihHBXSh9P Hook: Gamakatsu SS15 in size 2 Thread: Danville's 210 flat waxed in tan Claws: Hackle cape in brown Feelers: Barred rubber legs in brown Body: Congo Hair (or EP fiber could work) in caddis tan and medium brown Weight: Dumbbell eyes 5.0mm

Like all good permit flies, the Keel Crab is heavy and will bolt right to the bottom when presented in front of a hungry fish. The brass beads on the keel not only add weight to the fly, but also make the fly sink straighter and allow the crab to sit in an aggressive position. We prefer to tie in the body underneath (between the shank and hook gap) so when a permit looks down at the fly he sees nothing but crab shell. Video Instructions: How To Tie The Keel Crab Permit Fly Materials: Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S #1/0 Thread: Ultra Thread 210 Tan Eyes: Brass Dumbbell Eyes Gold Lg Crab Eyes: EP Crab/Shrimp Eyes Pearl Black Lg Tail: Strung Marabou Ginger Claws: Keough Tyer’s Dry Fly Cape Bleached Grizzly Keel: Mason Hard Type Nylon 20 lb. Beads: Cyclops Bead Eyes Gold 7/64″ Body: EP Fibers 3D Sand Legs: Fly Enhancer Legs Light Blue/Pumpkin Weedguard: Mason Hard Type Nylon 20 lb.

Have been playing with some downsized crab flies over the Christmas period.... And being summer here I used this morning's run-out to test their usefulness on my 2 weight.... The patterns themselves are very simple, and modelled on an Australian pattern known as the VGDC fly (Voltzy's Goldy Destroyer Fly), which is a killer on sweetlip (blue and brown bastards, and golden trevally). My goal was to make them smaller and lighter, and tie them with weedguards. So I tied up a few on size 6 SL45S and B10S for local bream, mangrove snapper, grunter (javelin) and a few other things to have a look at. It was a tough morning, but I sighted a number of fish, and overall was definitely successful. It's closed season for the barramundi, so I only got one shot off at the fella I sighted.... Unfortunately it was a poorly composed photo without a polarised filter on the lens It's been a tough end to 2013 for me, so it was good to get on the water and have a think by myself... I'm still messed up, but hey... I can still tie flies and cast the wand