25 replies to this topic

[Kirk Dietrich]

I think thats why patterns like the goats toe works so well. Produces a long sleek look in the water with the shades of greys and blues.
Think last night there were so many baits swimming around the fly was just one in a crowd.

Piker, I don't know what a Goat's Toe is but maybe if you threw one in hot pink, chartreuse or black to help it stand out in the crowd that could work??

Kirk

[Crackaig]

I've seen one pattern where a guy glued a real crab shell on.

I'll bet that cast like a dream!

Cheers,
C.

[Henry]

Hey Picker20,

Agreed!...no need to create a "hardshell" on any crab pattern you tie. Likely alot better off without it and fewer tying steps and materials involved. A good crab fly should "look" and "act" crabby...not "feel" crabby. I believe the hardshell idea only pleases the fisherperson not the fish. Besides, what crab do fish love to eat better than hardshells? Freshly moulted softshell crabs...yum!

Here's a crab pattern that I tie that you may be interested in. The shellback is furry foam.

Regards, Henry

Attached Files

•  castanet crab01.jpg   33.78K   61 downloads
•  castanet crab02.jpg   38.68K   82 downloads
•  castanet crab03.jpg   34.13K   65 downloads

[Kirk Dietrich]

Okay Henry, that is one great looking crab. Are the little outriggers underneath with glass beads to keel it and make it sink hook point up? Looks like you have the furry foam slipped over the hook eye?

Great looking tie.

Kirk

[Robert M]

All white works well also for a standout.

Yep I really like the trick with the beads may have to try that on a few crabs lets see 2 rootbeer color and a black for stone crabs, 1 olive, 1 blue and 1 red for blue crab...........cool

[Henry]

Hi Kirk,

Yeah!, the flouro v-posts with glass beads are my play on the Avalon Crab. They give plenty of rattle...cause the fly to sink upright and stand on bottom in the "defensive crab posture". When dragged along the bottom, the fly nods and walks like crazy. They also tend to act as a weed guard aswell because the fly straddles the grass instead of sinking down into it.

Good observation about the furry foam. It's a very easy pattern to tie. Once the legs are tied in "merkin style"...the furry foam cut-out (I made my own cutters)is glued on top of the fly , poked over the hook eye, then doubled back along the bottom of the fly which is exactly how a real crabs shell is..."not just on top" (note: the eyes are burnt mono stems crazy glued to the underside of the furry foam vs. tied-in on the hook shank...too easy!)

I call the fly a "Castanet Crab" and I also tie Merkins the same way...the "Moracca Merkin". I also have a shrimp pattern done the same way aswell called the "Castanet Camerone"

Regards,

Henry

Attached Files

•  castanet camerone01.jpg   39.67K   53 downloads
•  castanet camerone02.jpg   35.17K   48 downloads

[Piker20]

Great pattern there and I like the idea of the bead hangers as there is plenty of grassy weed to avoid so it sounds like this design does that.

What size hook are the ones you've pictured?
Guess I need to spend some hours at the vice when I finish my night shifts.

[Piker20]

Piker, I don't know what a Goat's Toe is but maybe if you threw one in hot pink, chartreuse or black to help it stand out in the crowd that could work??

Kirk

Heres a goat toe. The one in my book has yellow tag but I find red works better for me
 Goat toe.jpg   794.25K   5 downloads

I also tied some on salt hooks with a bead to dig down but the hackle needs to be a bit longer really to compensate for the extra bulk of the bead. Or a smaller bead
 Salty goat (670x900).jpg   163.77K   4 downloads

[Kirk Dietrich]

Henry, those are great looking flies. You are a very good tier!

Piker, that's a great looking fly, looks like a wet fly. I don't know much about sandeels but what I've noticed is they seem to be long and thin. While the Goat's may slim down and breath with the long palmered hackle, it seems to lack some length as far as representing eels. I wonder if you add some thin saddle hackle for a tail in lieu of the short tag if that wouldn't give a better sand eel profile...

Nice ties on the Goat's Toe.

Kirk

[Henry]

Hi Piker20,

Mustad size 6...fly is about dime sized. I tie them as small as size 8.

Henry

[Piker20]

Hi Piker20,

Mustad size 6...fly is about dime sized. I tie them as small as size 8.

Henry

cheers