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Oversize Woolly Bugger
Tied Short and Fat
A Saltwater Fly Pattern That is Suggestive of a Crab

The Marabou Crab Fly

There is certainly nothing innovative or exceptionally creative about this pattern.  It is in fact nothing more than overgrown Woolly Bugger that is short and fat.

     I have been tying Woolly Buggers for use in saltwater for years.  Brown, orange, tan, and black Woolly Buggers tied with lead eyes have long been one of my dependable searching pattern for both redfish and speckled trout.

    In the pursuit of larger fish I simply started tying really big Woolly Buggers in an orange/black combination.  Later I started experimenting with shorter and fatter ties in a attempt to more closely approximate the profile of a blue crab.

    My original target species for this "crab" pattern were large black and red drum which congregated around the rock islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

    I was quick to discover that other fish had an affinity for this fly also.  In the slower currents behind the CBBT islands it is usually necessary to present your fly with a rather rapid retrieve to entice a strike from a striped bass.  Stripers were readily taking my Marabou Crabs when presented with little or no action.  Big gray trout were also taking this fly as I probed the edges of the rock islands in search of big drum.  

    Orange and brown, and orange and black combinations produce plenty of fish.  Experimentation lead me to a combination that does well in most situations.    Tail of black and orange marabou with a generous helping of copper flash that is slightly longer than the marabou.  Body is orange Estaz chenille palmered with blue hackle.  Eyes of sufficient weight to keep the fly orientated hook up.

    You just cannot tie this fly too full or too short.

4/0 Marabou Crab Fly

Fly shown above - Tied just like a big fat Marabou Shrimp Fly

• 4/0 Mustad 34007 or Equivalent.
   

• Heavy weighted hourglass eyes
   

• Marabou Blood Quills for tail - Black over Orange
   

• Body wrapped in orange Estaz and plamered with black webby hackle

Harry Hall sefly
Guided Fly Fishing