Trouting about with the Malherbes

The Anchor Crab

The Killer Crab Assassin Bug (K-CrAB) - SBS

Crabs are tricky little fellows.  And crab flies are also tricky little fellows- to tie at least.  They look extremely simple but there are lots of little techniques and tricks that make tying a crab fly much easier.

There were two flies that stood out in Farquhar.  One was the black brush fly and the other was the K-Crab.  It took Permit, GT's, Triggerfish, Snapper, Emporers, you name it.  Watching a Trigger spot this fly was the most entertaining thing to see.  They jumped on it like a fat kid on stray piece of cake.  You could almost see the expression change on their faces.. like "I cant believe my luck! a crab! Right here!" - Hook set.

Interestingly I tied some without the barred legs (white legs instead).  And one particularly fussy Trigger durned down that and a few other crabs before I tied one of these on.  It hardly even hit the bottom before being eaten.

The K-CrAB SBS:

Materials Needed

Trim claws off tan zonker

The tie in

both claws on (you can leave them long or trim them.  I prefer short claws and will demonstrate the extra steps needed for those)

Tip 1 -Trim excess zonker skin to a "V" shape

Makes for a much smaller profile

The Snip

Cleaning off excess

Cut tips longitudinally to give natural fade out

Like so.

1 of 2 different tones of EP Fibre

Tip 2 - Tie the EP on top. NOT on the bottom like a Merkin.
Tie in as you would dumbells.  I only wrap once either way.  Use heavy thread for added insurance

Tip 3- use lead to tie back original hanks and give you space to work. Tip 4 - whip finish after each addition to thread doesnt slip on your next leg set or EP Fibre section.

Getting there...

Tip 5 - Tie a shoulder to give the dumbells a place to sit

The cover up hank.  Goes over the top of the dumbells.

Like so.

Tip 6 - Pull tight and "roll" each section while pulling tight with the bobbin to keep it neat and tight.

Trimming begins

Ready for weedguard

20 lb PURE flouro.  100% Flouro has enough memory to allow you to bend it to shape after.

Tip 7 - First wrap your weedguard like this and then pull it tight to the shank.  Easiest way to keep it symmetrical.

There she is...

The Killer Crab Assassin Bug. (K-Crab Fly)

More than an obsession.

Indo Pacific Permit.

You leave the outer atolls of the Seychelles and soon you begin to realize just how long it might be until you see those golden sickle tails again.  But you can never get the thought of those fish out of your head.

I must have gone over the photos and watched the video a thousand times.  This weekend I began painting them.

You can never describe the colours that come out of an Indo Pacific Permit.  They are NEON gold.  And there are lots of different greens and pearlescent blues across the rear third of the fish.  I have never, and probably will never see a more beautiful specimen.

So until I get a chance to cast a crab fly at another one, art will have to do.

5 seconds in to a Farquhar Permit

 

The end of the fight

Indo Pacific Permit

Seychelles Permit

permit on fly, fly fishing farquhar, farquhar seychelles, indo pacific permit, golden permit, crab fly

A New Type of Fly

Ive always had a problem fishing clousers offshore.

1- They  turn on the side when you strip at full pace

2- Outside of putting oversize dumbells its tricky to find the shank space to weight them heavily.

3-Small Tuna and other Pelagics often take short as the hook is so far forward.

The solution:

I think it looks kick ass.  Ideas for names? I like the "invader".

The J Vice

Jay Smit is a man. A "create things from bar stock steel" kind of man.

In an age of mass production a piece of true craftsmanship like this is a breath of fresh air.  Turned, forged and cut out of stainless steel, aluminium and brass. The end result is the most solid piece of engineering you're likely to find at any fly tyers bench.

I love this thing.  This one is #789

J Vice 789

J Vice with tube fly attachment