Bodkin / Patterns

Contraband Floating Crab

Crab · Permit · Redfish · Bonefish · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook saltwater hook (Gamakatsu SL11-3H), 4-8
  • Thread olive or tan 210 denier (Danville)

Materials

  • Eyes Black-nickel dumbbell eyes (tied for point-up ride) (1 pair)
  • Claws Olive micro Ultra Chenille (burned/tapered tips) (2)
  • Legs Gray/tan square rubber legs (6-8)
  • Carapace/Body Closed-cell foam disc (McFly-style) or Scotch-Brite pad (1)
  • Weedguard Hard mono loop (optional) (1)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and lash dumbbell eyes near the bend on the hook-point side so the finished crab rides point-up and lands hook-up on the bottom or hangs in the film.
  2. Tie in two lengths of olive micro Ultra Chenille at the bend, tips burned to a taper, splayed as claws.
  3. Tie in three pairs of rubber legs across the shank so they splay to the sides like crab legs.
  4. For the floating version, cut a foam disc for the carapace (foam replaces the water-logging wool/Scotch-Brite so the fly suspends or floats) and lash it flat across the shank, figure-eighting around the legs.
  5. Trim the carapace to a rounded crab shape and color/mottle the top with marker if desired.
  6. If fishing weedy flats, tie in a mono weedguard loop, whip finish at the eye, and cement.

Tying videos

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