Bob Nauheim, owner of a northern California fishing travel firm
originated the Crazy Charlie. It was orginally tied in white to
suggest glass minnows, Jenkinsia lamprotaenia,
Anchoe mitchelli, or A. cayorumon Andros. Now, however,
in all its variations of color and material, the Charlie is an effective
emulator of just about every species of shrimp and even some smaller
crabs.
By adopting the steelheaders' bead-chain weighting technique to both
sink and jig the fly, this fly became the father of modern bonefish
design.
Materials List:
Hook: 34007 or 3407; sizes 1, 2, 4, 6, 8.
Thread: White Monocord 3/0, or color to match body.
Eyes: 1/8" silver bead chain.
Tail: Ten or twelve strands silver tinsel.
Body: 15-lb. Mason or other clear mono over
flat silver tinsel (underbody later changed to silver or pearl Flashabou).
Wing: Two long white saddle hackles, convex sides facing
to splay tips.
Tying Instructions:
1. Position the eyes on the shank 3/16" to 1/4" behind the
rear of the hook eye, to allow enough room to tie in the wing
and finish the head. Secure the bead-chain eyes to the hook
by wrapping in a figure-eight path around the eyes and shank.
Then wrap a "donut" in a horizontal plane underneath the
bead-chain eyes, binding all wraps tight. Super Glue.
2. Behind the eyes, attach six or eight silver tinsel or
pearlescent Flashabou fibers on top of the shank as an
underbody, extending them one half-shank length beyond
the bend to form the tail.
