Pro Tips

Fly Tying

Andy’s Fuzzy Crab
December 9, 2008
Chris Beech
It was one of those chance meetings… I had posted a question on a popular internet forum, asking who was going to be in Weipa this June. After a few weeks of no replies I proclaimed to have the whole place to myself. Then Andy Altman (‘Kiwi Andy’ to the forumites) responds. Great, I thought, we’ll share it amongst the three of us!
 
As usual after dinner on the first night, the fly boxes came out. What’s been working? That looks good! We were hoping to get after some of the more difficult species on offer in the Weipa area, and I was keen to find out what had been working the previous week. One of Andy’s flies got my attention – when I asked what the hell it was, the response was ‘… Andy’s Fuzzy Crab, thingy?’! It was kind of half crab, half shrimp and looked edible – even to me...
 
Andy has only been salt water fly fishing for around five years, starting out in his native Florida Keys then making pilgrimages to Weipa following his defection immigration to New Zealand. Several trips back to the Keys, Weipa and Christmas Island have seen him land most of the dream fish on flies he dreamed up and tied himself, including Keys tarpon and bonefish.
 
Andy’s Fuzzy Crab is one of these and an adaptation of a fly that he saw on a Floridian website, Doc Hall’s Perfect Crab. He couldn’t duplicate it with the materials on hand, so he used what was available at the time. The rest is history – Andy’s Fuzzy Crab is now a proven pattern. Andy likes to build his flies on solid hooks – in this case, Mustads’ C68 SSS in size #2 to #2/0. This is a heavy hook and quite capable of being fished through rough ground to fish strong enough to leave your ankles trembling.
 
Not only does this fly utilize lead dumbbell eyes, but lead wire as well. No mucking around – this guy is to be fished on the bottom, with attitude! A small tuft of orange Arctic fox or rabbit fur is then tied in to imitate roe. The (visible) eyes are made from burnt monofilament, coloured and dipped in epoxy to make them prominent and durable. One is tied each side angled downward to the rear before a couple of turns of marabou dubbing is applied. Sili-legs are added to give more constant movement. You can substitute any kind of rubber leg here such as Uni-Stretch, Spandex, Grizzly Legs or Tarantu-Legs.
 
The body is made by palmering mink zonker strip in tan, cream or brown. If mink is unavailable Andy has used rabbit zonker strip, and I am going to be experimenting with pine squirrel for smaller size flies! Andy prefers mink due to its shiny guard hairs, but concedes with a grin that he may be splitting hairs on this one. Pun intended.
 
That’s about it for the tying – the proof is in the fishing! Drop this fly in front of cruising fish, let it sink to the bottom and give it a slow draw or slight twitch just before the fish is on it… It is a passable imitation of a small crab, shrimp – hell, it looks like food! The rest is up to you …
 
 
Andy’s Fuzzy Crab
 
Hook:                           Mustad C68SSS #2 - #2/0
Thread:             3/0 Monocord
Weighted Eyes: Lead Presentation Eyes (small - #2, medium - #2/0)
Body Weight:               0.025” Lead Wire, tied on top of the hook shank
Roe:                             Tuft of Orange Arctic Fox or Rabbit Fur
Eyes:                            Burnt Mono, Coloured and Epoxied
Collar:                          Tan Marabou or Rabbit Fur
Legs:                            6-8 Strands of Sili-Legs
Body:                           Mink, Rabbit or Pine Squirrel Zonker Strip
 

  1. Tie in dumbbell weighted eyes just behind hook eye, and two lengths of lead wire on top of the hook shank. The lead wire is an important step to ensure the fly flips over and sits flat each time.
 
  1. Tie in a clump of orange Arctic Fox or Rabbit Fur at the bend.
 
  1. Tie in mono eyes, one each side so that the eye is a shank length from the tie in point. Angle them out and down (remembering this fly will ride hook point up).
 
  1. Tie in a few turns of marabou applied as dubbing.
 
  1. Tie in 6-8 Sili-legs coloured to match the body of the fly and trim to length of 1 ½ shank length.
 
  1. Tie in Mink, Rabbit or Pine Squirrel Zonker Strip and palmer tightly to lead eyes. Tie off and cement.
 
  1. Present to fish!
 
Favorite Flies with Chris Beech
October 21, 2008
General Author
One of my favorite dry flies for searching small streams is this variation of the Au Sable Wulff. I first used this pattern with success in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales in the middle of a plague of small light coloured moths. Since then I have used this pattern regularly and it has now become my go-to fly for small streams in this colour. I tie my favorite variation with a light hares ear coloured squirrel blend dubbing, Hivis wing and heavy hackle of natural red and grizzly saddle. This imitates several species of mayfly dun’s nicely, and I find the Hivis wings stand up to lots of abuse – things like fish, thickets and clumsy fly tyers that are used to tying salt water flies!
 
Au Sable Wulff (variation)
 
Hook: Dry Fly #10-#18
Thread: 6/0 Red Monocord
Tail: Neck Hackle Fibers
Body: Squirrel Blend Dubbing (light hare’s ear colour)
Wing: White Hivis, tied in a ‘V’
Hackle: Natural Red and Grizzly Saddle wound full





 
The Last Chance Cripple with Rene' Harrop
October 16, 2008
Rene' Harrop
In fly tying, specific imitation is driven by observation and logic. During a mayfly hatch, close scrutiny of the water reveals a sizable portion of emerging duns that are not successful in completely freeing themselves from the nymphal shuck. In this crippled condition, they are incapable of leaving the water. Logically, this vulnerability makes them more attractive to a hungry trout than a healthy winged insect that can fly to safety in a mere instant.

The Last chance Cripple is characterized by an abdomen that duplicates the form and color of the nymph.The thorax, wings, and hackle represent a partially emerged dun in shape and coloration. The buoyant CDC wings provide excellent flotation and visibility when fished on choppy water or during low light conditions. These features also cause it to be a perfect indicator fly when a corresponding nymph is suspended from the hook bend.



The colors of the Last Chance Cripple can be adjusted to effectively match any mayfly that emerges on the water.

Tying Recipe for Last Chance Cripple

Hook: TMC 100BL
Thread: 8/0 Uni-thread
Tail: Sparse tuft of Trouthunter C.E.N. dubbing over three Wood Duck fibers
Abdomen: Stripped goose biot or turkey biot tied to appear rather fuzzy.
Thorax: Trouthunter Professional Dry Fly Dubbing
Wings: Paired CDC feathers set at a forward angle over the eye.
Hackle: Whiting Hackle


Rene' Harrop
House of Harrop
33 W 4th N
St. Anthony, Idaho 83445
Tel: 208 624 3537
Fax: 208-624-3455
www.houseofharrop.com
 
the Hand Whip Finish with Chris Beech
October 7, 2008
General Author
In the accessory-rich world of fly tying there are all manner of whip finish tools. The best whip finish tool is your hand – you can place a whip finish anywhere along the hook shank, and even use it to fashion a ‘needle-less nail knot’ to connect your leader to fly line. And you’ll never have to search for that tool again!
 
Do Eyes Make Good Pupils with Chris Beech
October 7, 2008
General Author
Eyes are an important feature of many fly patterns. Check out a baitfish next time you see one swimming past, and the pupil is usually most prominent. Many pre-painted or stick-on eyes have tiny pupils. Next time, try making them larger for better results.