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grassonfly

Crab movement

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Most crab flies i see depict a crab moving backwards. I imagine that a pattern that walked sideways (crabwalking) would be more effective. Are there any such patterns already out there?

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Yes, there are -with the corner of the crab fly oriented towards the hook eye so that any movement along the bottom has your "crab" moving sideways.... However, the important movement that any crab fly really needs is that dive towards the bottom which is what a real swimming crab does when it senses danger. You need a crab fly that will go to the bottom very quickly then sit exactly square on the bottom in "fighting stance" which is once again how the real item behaves... That's why many, many very good looking crab flies are complete failures as far as I'm concerned since they don't behave the way the real item does. That's also why the Merkin, over many years, is still a top choice when you're hunting permit....

 

The advice I always give my anglers with a crab fly is to keep it moving briskly along the surface until a permit comes after it -then stop abruptly, allow it to fall to the bottom, then slowly pull your line tight so that you can feel if it's picked up. If the fish doesn't go after it at that point the last step is to strip it very slowly along the bottom for two to three feet... if that doesn't work, we'll pick up the fly and make another shot if the fish is still within range.

 

Crab flies are tough in my experience. Every tyer wants to have their own pattern but coming up with something that actually behaves the way a crab does - not easy at all...

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The crab shape is not conducive to a fly pattern. As Bob says, it's not easy. The problem is, the more real it looks, the more it'll want to spin. A round shape with legs sticking out all over will not pass easily through the water or the air.

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Living in east central Florida we mostly have blue crabs in the water. However when visiting the keys about 18 months ago and wading around in the water in Islamorada with the wife I saw a small light colored crab in the sand and watched him for a minute. When I got too close he took off pretty rapidly and I was surprised at how much it looked just like a kwan fly with the light body and striped legs. I now see why they are such a popular fly in the south.

 

This one is called the Defiant Crab and tied with more material under the bottom to make it appear in the fighting stance as Bob stated. A little trickier to tie and trim to have it sit right. In the one shot you can see the extra material under the hook to make it sit up. I have yet to toss it at anything yet but will post if I have success with it.

 

 

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I fish the northeast for striped bass. But i only use crab patterns in a specific area,and time. In the season Striped bass (rock fish) will feed on small crabs that are sucked out through a small salt creek. During this time the bass just seem to hit the crabs as the float by. By using a crab pattern, and allowing the moving water to do its job, has lead to many a nice fish. Im sure fishing on a flat is much different but im sure you also have some creeks that empty out during outgoing tide. So i wonder if people arent using the crabs correctly,

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Floating a crab is a very effective method but in very skinny way i think a crawl would be very effective. I was thinking of a pattern with two sets of dumbell eyes on the top of the shank. One set near the hook eye and the other near the bend of the hook to maintain balance.

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Back when I tied flies commercially, I was told by several other guides that I tied for exactly what Capt Bob has said about how a crab fly has to act. Back then, the two most popular crab patterns (at least among the guides I tied for) for Permit were the George Anderson McCrab & the Del Brown Merkin. The McCrab is a good fly when it acts properly, but fact is it's difficult to get the weighting perfect in order to get that angled diving & defensive posture. For the most part, the Merkin & other yarn type crabs using barbells for the weight are far easier to get these desired traits. IMO, it really doesn't matter in which direction the pattern is intended to "swim" as long as these two aspects, the proper diving & defensive posture are present. Crabs can't out swim fish that prey upon them. They can only dive for the bottom or place their "backs to the wall" & put themselves in a place to defend themselves.

 

I too have used crab patterns for Striped Bass, but IMO, it's a limited application for my area. I have witnessed Stripers attacking crabs as the falling tide exposes them along washed out sod banks where the crabs may be trying to hide, especially after they shed their hard shells & are awaiting the new shell to harden. In that situation a basic crab pattern tossed on the bank & stripped into the water can be very productive.

 

True that floating crabs can be productive & particularly where they or any other small prey may be washed to an awaiting predator via the current. Those times I've caught Stripers on crabs have been when I found them targeting crabs along sod type marsh shorelines or around structures such as duck blinds or other pilings. Different type of fishing than skinny water flats fishing, yet still similar patterns have been used.

 

I've posted these before, and they're generally Merkin type patterns. I don't believe a crab pattern has to be ultra realistic in appearance to be effective.

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There are barbell eyes on them & they dive at an angle. The legs are not placed in the typical locations, but that has not mattered to the fish. Also, there are more legs than on the real thing, but fish can't count. When stripped, these still have the appearance of a fleeing crab & at rest still have the defensive posture, although it may not be as evident as some patterns with distinct "claws". IMO, it doesn't matter as long as the target species reacts positively to it & eats it!

 

IMO, the important thing is how the fly moves & acts, not how it looks to us. There only needs to be a general shape, the impression of life & movement for a crab pattern such as these to be effective. I have found the same to be true of crayfish patterns for freshwater and now my crayfish flies are more impressionistic.

 

Certainly if you can tie a realistic crab or crayfish that still acts properly & correctly, then that's fine, but is really not necessary for catching fish. As much as I enjoy tying & being "creative" or artistic, as Capt Bob has stated, many "realistic" patterns look great, but really don't get the job done when it comes to actually producing. Food for thought! wink.png

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I agree with you. Where I'm from they dont grab them off of sod banks they kind of wait along the bottom and suck them in as they pass or rise like a trout to get them . I should also state that they are most active in the night when eating crab. We cant see them but we hear them sucking them in. Nice flys. I've tied some myself out of deer hair and they work fine. Ive also seen some new plastic shells for tying but i can bring myself to buy them only because i dont think it matters like you said. its the presentation that make the fish strike. not how realistic you can tie.

when i figure out how to upload a pic i'll share my design.

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To upload a photo from your pc go to the "More reply options" then down on bottom left you see "Attach files". There you can grab what you want. Might want to reduce size first in your software and maybe save to jpeg first as well.

Whole lot easier than the photo bucket thing, for me anyway.

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Whole lot easier than the photo bucket thing, for me anyway.

 

I like Photobucket for my use because I store most of my pics there anyway. I've had hard drives crash in the past & have lost some pics, so Photobucket at least keeps them safe in that regard. Using it takes more steps than what Saltybum has suggested, as you have to upload to Photobucket first but also provides all the links you need for inserting into a post.

 

I use a software called Vueprint (have had it for many years) for editing my pics, and agree about resizing. When I post pics I try to make them a size that's easily viewed, but not so large that they take forever to load.

 

Either method will work & there are other similar services to Photobucket that you may like even better. Photobucket is the only one I've used so can't comment on those other services. Joe, just like tying, we all like different methods, so give them a try & see what you like best.

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I just got a Mudhole catalogue, They had crab bodies and crab shells. they look great but i think they are a bit pricey.

 

Does anyone know where to find materials for crab bodies found in the Velcro crab fly or the ep fleeing crab?

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