Bodkin / Patterns

Grand Slam Crab

Crab · Permit · Redfish · Bonefish · Advanced · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook saltwater flats hook (heavy wire), #2-6
  • Thread tan or brown 6/0 (140 denier) or GSP

Materials

  • Eyes/weight Lead dumbbell eyes (keeled) (1 pair (mounted to fall hook-up))
  • Rattle Glass or plastic rattle (1 (lashed under body))
  • Body EP fibers / crab dubbing / wool (trimmed to flat carapace)
  • Claws Splayed grizzly/cree hackle tips (2, tied at the rear)
  • Legs Rubber legs (2-3 per side)
  • Flash Subtle flash (Krystal Flash) (few strands)
  • Weed guard Mono loop (1 (optional))

How to tie it

  1. Lash a rattle along the shank and mount a pair of lead dumbbell eyes so the fly is center-weighted and keeled to fall flat and flutter hook-up.
  2. At the rear, tie in two splayed grizzly hackle tips as claws and a small bunch of flash between them.
  3. Add two to three rubber legs per side for lifelike kicking.
  4. Build a flat, oval crab body of EP fibers or dubbing over the weighted keel and trim it to a low carapace shape.
  5. Add a mono weed-guard loop at the eye if fishing turtle grass.
  6. Whip finish and trim the body flat; the keel weight is what makes it flutter down enticingly on the drop.
  7. Keep the flash subtle so it entices rather than spooks wary flats fish.

Tying videos

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