Fly Source: Rich Lewis
I really like Pacific Mole Crab flies. They are distinctive, innovative patterns. I wanted to learn to tie a few of these patterns myself, since they catch fish like mad when the Sand Crabs are bedded down along the beaches of Southern California.
The Pacific Mole Crab is one of the mainstay foods of the fishes in the surf zone. Sand Crabs make-up a large percentage of the diet of the feisty Surf Perch and other prowlers of the troughs, & holes of the playas. Quite a few of the flies that are effective in the surf zone, time and again, are flies that look like mole crabs (sand crabs). These flies have features that include some attributes of these little Mole Crabs. For example, the popular pattern below has a lot of bright orange. It also has some gray hackle feelers and Krystal Flash antenna. Is this fly a Shrimp or Crab imitation fly? Maybe it is a little of both.
Fly Source: Gary Bulla.
I picked it up from Gary Bulla at a fly expo. Gary has a great assortment of surf flies available for sale through his website. There are also tying instructions on his site. http://garybulla.com/
Now look at the color of the Roe on the underside of the Pacific Mole Crabs below. It’s obvious that the egg color is a key feature of a Crab and also a good surf fly.
Photo Source: fliflicker Image Gallery: Andrew Stoehr- Photo Credit
Another popular pattern, the Surf Rat , also has this theme of orange. Examination of the stomach contents of Surf Perch can reveal bits of brightly colored glass and plastic. Basically, if it looks remotely close in color and size to eggs, then a fish is going to investigate it. Since there is a very short decision window in the surf zone, these fishes apparently eat first and ask questions later. So we tend to make PMC imitations with some red, or oranges and then some grays and brown colors values.
Fly Source: Local Club Tyer at the Fred Hall Show.
A fellow was tying the fly shown above at a fly fishing club’s booth at a recent sportsman’s show. This pattern is definitely tied as a Shrimp. However-notice that the characteristic bright orange color is included among the varied colors on this well tied fly. I traded a few Surf Grub Flies for this Shrimp fly. I’ll bet it works in the surf.
There are many accomplished fly tyers that create flies specifically for the Southern California Surf Zone. A very effective fly is a sparsely tied Clouser Deep Minnow (not shown) in Orange over white. Once again, this theme of Orange and contrast has proven to be a winner in the surf zone.
Fly Source: Gary Bulla
This next fly is a true Pacific Mole Crab imitation. This pattern is tied with soft natural wool, or rabbit fur and is really puffy and soft. I can tell this one will catch fish. Just look at the eggs! The heavy hook may not be required to land a 2-pound Surf Perch but they sure help keep the fly down in the troughs. Besides, you never know when you will hook into a sizable fish in the surf. Sharks, Halibut, Rays, Stripers and Steelhead all prowl the coastal riffs and have been caught locally. See the gallery for the photographic evidence.
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
Ok-I’ll bet these flies will work in the surf zone too. I was tying up a bunch of small, freshwater egg flies (SandyEggos) for an on-line fly swap. I thought that using a saltwater hook and a larger egg sack could drive the Surf Perch, Corbina and Halibut crazy too. Have hot glue gun will travel. The egg cluster is coated with Loon Hard Head water based, urethane coating to give it that juicy look. You really need to use the special translucent glue sticks made especially for lure making to get these types of flies to look right. The size #10 fly on the right is tied on a single egg hook. Notice the gold bead on the hook shank. The gold bead glints right through the egg cluster and as a result the “SandyEggo Fly” glows in the sunlight. Making these flies is mindless fun. Simply squirt some hot glue on the thread-wrapped hook shank and let gravity form the egg. Then dip the molten egg into a glass of cool water to gel it. Blow off the water drops and start again. Repeat this process until your SandyEggo’s has a nice egg cluster. Then over coat the eggs with Loon Hard Head and allow to air dry. Follow-up with a single coating of Hard As Nails. Salmon, Trout and Surf Perch dig em’!
Fly source: Jay Murakoshi
Jay Murakoshi developed this outstanding Sand Crab pattern. It is named the Llama Hair Sand Crab. Jay ties them using Llama hair dubbing brushes that he also makes. These flies look terrific and catch lots of fishes too. Jay uses a heavy hook to help weight his flies and keep them in the feeding zone. See “Links” for Jay’s Website: Flies Unlimited
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
Ok- I don’t own a dubbing brush machine. So I came up with a copy of Jay’s fly. Jay’s fly imitates a Sand Crab and mine imitates his fly. I tried to make a passable crab fly that was super simple and quick to tie. It has two basic materials: 1) Orange Chenille and 2) Grey Ultra Hair. The darker gray color on top is due to the optional Hard Head coating used to give it a flexible shell. I happened to use a heavy, ringed Owner hook when I tied this one. It will sink and tumble around in the zone pretty well. So this one is a fly tied to look like another fly. Should work OK. Guess it will be called the “CopyCat” Sand Crab Fly. This fly is simple, fast and effective. That’s the idea anyway.
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
An even faster
crab fly to tie is a pattern I threw together using 6 MM Multi-colored, Pearl
Chenille by Tiewell wrapped on a hook, clipped flat on the belly and colored
with an orange Sharpie pen. This is the “One Minute Crab Fly”.
Fast. Delicious. Yum.
Fly Source: Gary Bulla.
A classic Pacific Mole Crab Fly, this Sand Crab Fly was originated by Ned Gray and then modified by Jim Stallings. Wow what long legs this fly has! Very well tied. You just know this fly works.
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
The “Baby Mole Crab”: This fly is just some gray poly yarn tied-on “Glo Bug” style and then doped with a little epoxy on the belly and colored with an orange Sharpie. Ok-Babies don’t have eggs. We know that and fish don’t really care. As long as this fly has orange colors and gray values, then it is going to work when presented well in the surf zone.
Fly Source: Bob Marriott’s Fly Shop
This Commercially available Mole Crab Fly has it all: eyes, eggs, legs, antenna, & shell color. I found this one at a popular Orange County fly shop. It is tied locally for sure.
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
Two Pacific Mole Crab Flies that I developed after studying the crab images and the available patterns I managed to find. The fly on the left has a gray vinyl back. The Pacific Mole Crab Fly on the right is made using closed cell fly foam as the material for the back. Tying instructions for this fly can be found in the fliflicker Fly Box.
There are a few more Mole Crab/Sand Crab patterns that are tied locally. Two of these patterns are: (links attached)
2) Paul Hollingsworth’s Sand Crab Fly.
We can add them to this file if someone has good examples available for scanning. Additionally, you can’t overlook the "Ruffy" by Glen Tagami. Glen’s fly is another Crab/Shrimp creation. This very effective pattern is orange and root beer brown and accounts for all sorts of catches.
Fly Source: Rich Lewis
The latest crab creation is the “Surf Soldier” fly. This one just fell together as I noodled around with Egg Yarn and UltraHair. I use “Real Eyes Plus” and the Mustad Signature Popper or Bass Stinger hooks for tying this fly. I call it the “Surf Soldier” because when flipped-over it looks like a helmet with eyes peeking out from underneath. This soldier is ready for battle in the surf zone.
Tying the Surf Soldier: First, wrap hook with Mono Floss and bind-in Krystal Flash tail. Next place the Real Eyes Plus in the proper position along the hook and cross bind eyes onto the top of the hook shank in the same manner in which all Clouser-style flies are fashioned. If you have ever tied a GloBug Steelhead Fly, then you know how to get that half round shape with the egg yarn. That entire orange egg sack is attached to the hook at only one spot using three wraps of mono floss around the hook shank. Then the thread is wound a few times around the three-piece yarn bundle’s base just like you are tying a parachute wing on a dry fly. Then tie-off mono forward. Now tug up on the yarns rather firmly and trim those yarn bundles to length with sharp shears. Magically the trimmed yarn tufts expand to create a big puffball! Adjust as required to get a nice expanded shape. Now flip the fly over and cement the thread-attach point. Tie-in the gray UltraHair wing using red flouro Uni-Stretch floss. Coat with head cement of choice.
All of the above fly images were scanned-in from flies that I have collected or tied myself. Tying Crab imitations is fun and rewarding. Try tying some for yourself. Experiment with the colors orange, gray and brown. I hope you enjoyed looking at all of these Pacific Mole Crab patterns. Now that all of these flies have been imaged, I’m headed to the beach to fish with them. I hope this leaves you feeling a bit crabby!