Corpusfishing.com

[Prof. Salt]

I had surgery to fuse a broken disc in my neck four weeks ago, and while I am off the water healing I've been playing with a few new designs. I wanted a Clouser that would not hang up in the grass, so I learned how to tie in a mono loop to protect the hook, then played with a long shank "bendback" design (totally weedless as well). Lately I have been tying crab flies, but something of my own idea and not a design borrowed from someone else. Because of the coloring, I call it the Taco Crab

I started by cutting out a crab shape from a strip of Velcro (just the loop side) for the top and bottom shell, then added silly legs, chenille claws and burned mono eyes. The weighted hook is placed in the middle of the "sandwich".



Then I got a little fancier with the eyes. I found some 11/0 glass beads at Michaels and incorporated them into the eyes with UV glue. Better!



Here is the variety of sizes: the larger hook size 2 and the smaller size 6.



Last night I got to thinking: my favorite rod for shallow reds is the 4 weight, so I tied a crab on the little size 8 hook. It's too small for claws, so I added some Maribou for feelers/antennae. This one should cast on the 4 weight even with a slight breeze (I hope). Now all I need is to heal enough that the doc will allow me to paddle again...

[deputydawg]

Those are awesome! Hope you heal up quick and get back out there to use them!

[bulldog1935]

they ought to work - I've never fished smaller than size 6 hook in the salt, though.

[Prof. Salt]

Yesterday I figured out that Sharpies can be used a little more artistically than in my previous attempts. One crab is upside-down to show the belly coloring. I don't know if the fish will like them but it's a fun project anyhow.

[bulldog1935]

Those look great, and the action duplicates a swimming crab (which is why I wouldn't use the lead, but I don't like lead - can see that small lead giving the fly the correct motion for a kicking crab)

pretty much all fly art is more for the fly tier than for the fish.
What attracts fish to food is different than what we see - usually motion-mode or in the case of surface flies, the footprint it makes in the surface tension.
The biggest black drum I ever caught - sight fished on about the 6th cast with the drum looking right at me (they don't know you from a bird if you act like a bird) -
was on a stupid-looking epoxy crab.
It was loosely spun and trimmed bucktail, one small hen saddle pointing up, with epoxy globbed on,
and what made it work was it acted like a crab walking sideways on the sand, holding up his big claw in threat.
I refined the crab the next time to end up with this, and it still works (and so does the mylar spoon)


but I prefer casting this, a kicking shrimp and works just fine for any crustacean-food-thingy.

[AZ_squid]

Good looking flies! Small ones might be good for sheepies.
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It's not the destination, the journey is everything.

[Bigrock]

Fun looking rehab and good looking flys! Bathtub tested I assume. 😉

Hope you heal quickly!

[Prof. Salt]

[bulldog1935]

that's ok, it's not polite to hook your aquarium fish

[TexasJim]

Yeah, but I'd like to fish in the aquarium in Bass Pro Harlingen! TexasJim
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TexasJim
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time"

[Prof. Salt]

The aquarium offers a clear view of how the fly swims or moves through the water, and also if I hook my wife one more time while testing out flies in her tub I might be relocated to the doghouse permanently.

[Bigrock]

[Tyler]

Look out redfish and drum!
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[Prof. Salt]

I've also come up with a nice little shrimp imitation, not that the world needed another shrimp fly but it's a fun distraction.

[BayFly]

I like this shrimp imitation! It looks bullet proof from here.