Merkin Crab Fly Recipe

Merkin Crab Fly

Merrimack River Flies - Merkin Crab Fly Recipe

Name	Del Brown’s Merkin Crab
Difficulty	3
Hook Size	4
Hook	Mustad 34007 or Equivalent
Thread	Chartreuse Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail	Grizzly hackle tips
Body	EP Fibers – Tan or Lydia’s rug yarn
Legs	Medium Round White
Red Marker	To color the tips of the legs
Eyes	Silver Lead Dumbbell Eye
Proportions	Tail is length of the body

1. Build a thread foundation down the length of the hook shank. Position the eye about 3/16” from the hook eye. Securely lash the eye to the top of the hook shank using figure 8 thread wraps. Advance the thread to the hook barb.

2. Tie in the hackle tips above the hook barb, leaving them to extend about one shank length beyond the hook bend.

3. Turn the hook over. Above the hook barb, tie in bunches of EP fibers about the diameter of a pencil and 1” long. Tie them in using figure 8 wraps. Tie in bunches of tan fibers until you reach the eye.

4. Trim the body into a tear drop shape.

5. Cut three sections of rubber legs about 3” long and knot them evenly along the body. Try to work the legs into the space between bunches of fibers.

NOTE: As an alternative, tie the legs onto the hook shank as the body is built (step 3). Take care not to cut the legs when trimming the body to shape.

1. Secure the legs with a small drop of CA cement, or super glue to the knot of the legs.

2. Using a red permanent marker – color the tips of each leg.

3. Finish the head with a whip finish and a drop of CA cement.