Two Tone Crab

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Hook: Mustad Streamer size 2
Eyes: 2 x Black beads
Stalks: 99LBS Mono
Pinchers: Red Brown Hackle
Body: Cream or Pale 2mm Foam
Legs: Hackle in various colors
Marker: Sepia
Body Coating: Epoxy
Underbody: Natural Hare’s Ear Dubbing

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Step 1
Use your cutter and cut out two foam bodies.







Step 2

Add some glue to one of the bodies and let it rest on the underside of the hook.(Turn your vice over)I use Evo bond glue.I sets in seconds so be careful not to loose some skin.Measure and place in the middle.I didn't just pick out a hook.I did vigorous measurements beforehand.The size 2 hook works perfect.Not only for the shape/size but also for the spesific water u'll be fishing.





Step 3
Cut 2 strands of mono and add the beads to them.About 5cm is fine.Add some epoxy to the shank and foam simultanously.Place the strands on top at an angle and let it set.The trick with the mono is to select a width just wide enough for the bead to slide over.U'll see later what I mean.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Step 4
Select 2 ginger hackles,these will be your small little pinchers.It's not really called pinchers but lets call it as such for the time being.Little hairs if u will.Place them in between the mono strands,add some glue and let dry.Only a small tad hey.



Step 5
Select 10 hackles in brown,white,dark brown and whatever color u fancy.Remember,we're imitating peelers here.Light mixed with dark is cool IMHO.(Strip the feathers from the stems)



Step 6
Now,place/stack these hackles to create the legs of the crab.Two above the shank and 3 below the shank.Mix and match these hackles.Once you're done placing them in the correct form/shape,add a tad of glue in the centre of the whole lot.Don't splash the hackle with glue.Those are very important.They form all the movement so don't mess with that quality.







Step 7
Anyone for Mcdonalds??? May I should've called this the burger crab!!!!

Add some epoxy to the other foam body part and place it directly over the hackles.Compress it tightly and let dry.Before moving on,make sure u covered all the holes between the two body parts.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Step 8
Now,move the beads upwards hence the 5cm strands I was talking about earlier.(Sorry I missed this step)

Add some epoxy just below the beads and slide the beads down over the epoxy to right against the foam body.Leave about a 1mm of mono.Add epoxy to this little tip as well.

What u have now is super strong eyes,it won't come off and it looks good.I personally don't like the candle or lighter method. Even your stalks are strengthened with the epoxy which now keep the eyes against the foam body.

What u also do at this time is to cover the top or exoskeleton with epoxy.



Step 10
Color your exoskeleten with a Sepia marker.The top of the body ye.This color with the foam gives u a light orange type color,perfect for the imature crab.After you're done,turn vice over.Look at your underbody,u only see the light pale abdomen.





Step 11
Add some glue to the underbody.Take some Hare's ear dubbing and place it ontop of the glue.Let it dry.This is perfect for the underbody.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Step 12
What can do as well is to cut a "v" into the hackle ends.It looks great when the fly is dry but once wet it's gone I'm afraid.



A view of the eyes



A view from the front



Look how cute,my new pet

[Scythe]

Lekker. Nice fly.

[Wade]

Very nice

Simple to tye even though there are a few steps.

Thanks for posting the tying instructions

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Thanks guys,

Very leke taking a break from the endless use of thread I'm telling you.Eventhough the hackles are the most difficult to place in proportion I tell you not to worry too much about it.

Once the fly model hits the water u get that joint effect of the hackles clinging together anyways.

G

[Korrie]

Gerrit
You have become a fly tying SBS machine.

[dlampert]

Nice fly Gerrit ! One of the problems I have had with crabs that I have tied is that they have a tendency to spin when doing a slow retrieve. I would be interested to know if your one spins on retrieve ?