Was looking at a lot of patterns of crabs and realized that most are made with yarn or something like it...what about closed foam? would that generate too much resistance or line twist?
Crab Flies with Foam
Was looking at a lot of patterns of crabs and realized that most are made with yarn or something like it...what about closed foam? would that generate too much resistance or line twist?
Probably a "floating crab" would result from "closed-cell" foam without weight (not a good thing for a subsurface pattern). Try some "open-cell" foam instead along with some added weight.
Robert B. McCorquodale
"Flip a fly"
Instead of foam try either velcro, the fuzzy side, or better the felt pads that you get to put on funiture to protect the floor from scuffing.You can get both in strips or precut as dots in different sizes just cut to shape.
IMO using foam or deer body hair, floating materials, on a sinking pattern defeats the purpose. You have to add too much weight to make it work.
Tom
About the only foam for crab flys would be Furry Foam. Cut into a little square & tie in the corners; then trim it round or oval. Toad flys float just under the surface without weight. If you are using foam, tie up some gurglers or hell's bay poppers for some top water fun ! Redfish will turn on their side to eat them !
Have to add that a new floating crab pattern made with foam was put in a fly fishing article yesterday for those redfish tailing in a foot of water or less & it's " a horror to cast " , but with a split shot almost a foot up from the hook it will dive & float up to mimic a crab !
In as much as most crab patterns Ive viewed have some sort of weight added, I can see no reason not to experiment with useing the combination of foam and weight. If for no other reason than to more closely regulate the sink rate for a better presentation. A good crab pattern with a near nutural sink rate may very well prove to be quite the ticket in a lot of areas and situations.
Capt. Paul Darby Dont wait to be ask, get out and teach.
In our area, in mid-late summer we have a "crab hatch".Originally Posted by dixieangler
They are quite small and float on the surface
Stripers key on these like a trout to mayflies
A small gurgler works.
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
The Merkin, is a crab fly pattern that floats on the water surface, that with a twitch of the line, sinks to the bottom. It is designed for Permit...
[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw/10497fotw.html:d9d63]FOTW "Merkin"[/url:d9d63]
I did not say that floating crab patterns were a bad thing just that....
If a subsurface pattern, its not a good thing.(not a good thing for a subsurface pattern)
Parnelli,
With those lead eyes up front (in the photo), it floats?
Robert B. McCorquodale
"Flip a fly"
If you read the article that is part of the "Merkin", the pattern is designed to float on the surface, and with a twitch of the line, will sink to the bottom. From what the article states it is a very effective fly pattern, that mimic the actions of the crab in nature. Be sure to read the attached article at the end of the Merkin article.
For those of you who have the FAOL 2006 CD, the Merkin is found in Volume 1, article 8 or in the saltwater category. The other article that I referred to, is at the end of the fly pattern.
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