Saltwater Flies

Link to Tom Herrington Submitted Flies

Black Death is a classic Tarpon Fly and is what I hooked my Tarpon on at Little Cayman, Oct. 2003.
Hook - Short, Extra heavy Shank #1-2/0 Tarpon (Long Shank Shown)
Thread - Black 3/0 Flat Waxed Nylon
Tail - Black Saddle Hackles
Rear body - Black Marabou
Fore body - Red Marabou
Optional - Stick on or Painted Eyes

Bonefish Epoxy Shrimp
Hook - #8 Saltwater J style
Mason Hard Mono Loop Weed Guard
Thread - Tan 3/0 Flat waxed Nylon
Flash - Pearl Crystal Flash
Tail - Calf Tail
Tail - Grizzly Hackle
Eyes - Mono (shown) or Bead Chain
Body - Epoxy

Crazy Charlie is a mainstay for the Bonefish addict.
Hook - #8-2 Saltwater J style
Thread - Tan 3/0 Flat waxed Nylon
Eyes - Bead Chain Eyes or Lead eyes
Wing - Deer Hair or Calf tail
Flash - Pearl Crystal Flash
*Can be tied without eyes for really spooky fish or dead still days.

Pink Cactus Charlie
Hook - #2 Saltwater J style
Thread - Pink 3/0 Flat Waxed Nylon
Body - Estaz or Cactus
Flash - Pearl Crystal Flash
Wing - Pink Buck tail or Calf tail
Eyes - Medium Lead or Equivalent

Clouser Minnow (AKA-Deep Minnow)
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Color to match the top color of Buck Tail used, 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Upper wing - Colored Buck Tail
Mid line - Crystal Flash
Lower wing -White Buck Tail
Eyes - Lead Eyes
*Eyes tied on the bottom of the hook shank cause the fly to dive for the bottom and wobble in the water as it sinks, with the hook point up.

Mike's Clouser
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - White Flat Waxed Nylon
Top Wing - Peacock Hurl
Body - Black Crystal Flash
Under Body - Pearl Flashabou or Yellow Pearl Polar Flash
Belly - Pearl Crystal Flash
Gills - Red Crystal Flash
Eyes - Lead Dumbbell or Equivalent
*Black Permanent marker along top of Thread head

My version of the 4M
Hook - #2 or 1 standard Saltwater J style
Thread - 3/0 White Flat waxed nylon
Eyes - Holographic Stick on
Top wing - Peacock Hurl
Mid wing - Flashabou-Accent (Crystal Flash) - Grizzly Accent Pearl/Black (Looks like Flashy Peacock Hurl)
Lower wing - Polar Flash - Yellow Pearl
Belly - Pearl Crystal Flash
Gills - Crystal Flash - Red
*Black Water-proof marker
*!Note: Rotory Vise is required to firm Epoxy head.

Shrimp Fly
Hook - #2 Saltwater J style
Thread - Pink 3/0 Flat Waxed Nylon
Mono Eyes, made by melting tips
Feelers - Pink Crystal Flash
Grizzly Hackle Palmered along hook shaft
Medium Lead eyes or equivalent
Foam back, Orange
Shell coated with Head Cement or Epoxy
*An improvement to this fly - leave the foam a little longer in the front and tie the foam to the hook in front of the lead eyes and trim the foam close. This will prevent the Crystal flash from hanging under the lip of the foam during casting.

Mike's Electric Slide
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Clear Mono thread
Eyes - Nickle plated Medium Dumbbell or Equivalent
Top Wing - Blue Supreme Hair
Middle Wing - Orange Supreme Hair
Lower Wing - Chartreuse Supreme Hair
Belly - White Supreme Hair

Mike's Gummy Minnow with Gator eyes and a 3mm Rattle.

Mike's Gummy Minnow Click here to see Step by step Tying instructions Sili Skin Handling Tips
This is a departure from the Gummy Minnow you see in shops. This version rides hook point up to reduce snags in shallow water.
Hook - #2 - 3/0 SaltwaterJ style
Thread - Orvis Clear Mono thread.
Under body - Sili Skin in White Belly (shown) or Pink or Silver
Back of minnow - Sili Skin in Olive shown above, Copper below. Variety of colors can be used, should be darker than under body.
*Can also use Loco Foam "Blue" above.
Final layer - Sili Skin Mother of Pearl.
Eyes - Holographic stick on.
Weighting - "Gator Eyes" Lead Dumbbell eye tied to underside of hook shank, in line with shank. Using a single Medium Gator eye weight causes the minnow to float sideways (slow sink, rise on strip) and upon stripping, acts like a wounded baitfish. If larger eyes are tied under the hook the hook point will ride point up.
Gills - Red Permanent Marker, such as a Sharpie.
Optional - 3mm Mini Rattle with Rounded ends, tied behind the Gator Eyes on bottom of hook Shank.
Mike's Gummy Minnow using Copper back

Mike's Action Gummy Minnow
Hook - 4 to 2 Standard Saltwater J Style
Thread - Clear Mono
Under body - Sili Skin, Silver (shown above) or Belly White (shown below)
Body Back - Sili Skin, Green Splash
Body Top coat - Sili Skin, Mother of Pearle
Eyes - 3d Stick on 1/16"
Gills - Optional Red Permanent marker.
Weight - Medium Sized Gator Eyes Dumbbell lead eyes tied along shank, not perpendicular to it.
Tail - Maribou to add action the the minnow. (shown above), or Pearle Crystal Flash (shown below)
Tie Weight to hook Shank, add Marabou or Flash to form Tail, proceed with the instructions for tying Mike's Gummy Minnow (hook up)
Mike's Action Gummy Minnow with Flash Tail

Mike's Action Gummy Minnow with Flash Tail

Loud Mouth Clouser Click here for Step by step Tying instructions.
The two brass beads on the hook shank click together when stripped.
Hook - #2-3/0 J style Saltwater hook
Thread - Orvis Clear Mono
Clickers - Brass beads sized to fit over the hook shank. (May require crimping the barb)
Eyes - Brass dumbbell style or Red Painted Lead
Wing - Buck tail or Calf tail (for smaller clousers) Variety of colors can be used. Optional - add White under Colored Wing.
Flash - Crystal Flash Pearl or match Wing material

Bentback
This fly can be slowly drug out of trees, roots and other snags. If pulled quickly, it will sink the hook point in and hold.
Hook - #2-2/0 J style Saltwater hook is bent slightly about 5/16th on an inch from eye. Hook point must remain above the bent shank line.
Thread - White 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Top wing - Chartreuse Bucktail, change color to situation.
Flash - Crystal Flash - Pearl, shown with Yellow Pearl Polar flash.
Bottom wing - Bucktail - White Change to situation.
Gill - Crystal Flash - Red
*Dark colors work better at night.

Mike's Gummy Crab Sili Skin Handling Tips
Hook - #2-1/0 J style Saltwater hook
Thread - Flat waxed Nylon - Tan
Eyes - Lead dumbbell style or equivalent
Claws - Saddle Hackles - Olive or Brown
Flash - Flashabou or Crystal flash to match Crab color
Body - Metz Sili Skin Many colors available. Copper Shown.
Legs - Sili legs stripped or equivalent.
Optional - Two 3mm rounded end rattles can be tied to the sides of the hook shank prior to applying the bottom layer of Sili Skin.
Optional - If you wish to harden to Crab Body, coat the top surface with Epoxy.
*Do not use Solvent Head Cement on the surface of the Gummy material, it may remove the coloring.

Mike's Velcro Crab
Hook - #2-1/0 J style Saltwater hook
Thread - Flat waxed Nylon - Tan
Eyes- Lead dumbbell style or equivalent
Claws- Saddle Hackles - Olive or Brown
Flash - Crystal Flash - Copper or Gold
Body - Velcro dots or cut pieces of velcro*
Legs - Sili legs with sparkles or equivalent
Marker - use a permanent marker to place dark spots on top of Crab Body.
Comments: In order to keep the Velcro dot from twisting on the hook shaft, overlap the dots a bit onto the lead eyes and remember to
* I now tie this crab using the Loop portion of the Velcro on the top of the crab and the Hook portion of the Velcro on the bottom of the Crab. This reduces the bouyancy of the material and adds an additional benefit of allowing you to "Velcro" the crab on a wool patch to dry or as a spare fly. The glue on the two pieces of Velcro does not hold up as promised. In water, it breaks down, so a layer of EZ Shape Sparkle Body around the edges to secure the two layers together are required. I use the EZ Shape Sparkle Body - Gold and the results have not disappointed. Ez Shape Sparkle Body is easy to use, does not dry up in the bottle, dries to look like Glitter, and and is non-toxic. It washes off with water, yet once dry, it is used as a flexible substitute for epoxy.

Mike's Fighting Chili Velcro Crab
Hook - #2-1/0 J style Saltwater hook
Thread - Flat waxed Nylon - Tan
Eyes- Lead Dumbbell style or equivalent
Claws - Magnum cut Rabbit strips - Grizzly, Close cell foam glued with "Zap a Gap" to claw tips to provide flatation - Red, 20lb Mason Hard mono to spread.
Flash - Crystal Flash - Copper
Body - Velcro dots or cut pieces of velcro
Legs - Sili legs w/ black strips - orange
Marker - use permament marker to place spots on top of Crab body.
Comments - 20 lb Hard mono, about half the length of the claw, keeps claws spread, Rabbit strips provide movement and closed cell foam cause the claw tips to float upward to put the crab in a defensive posture. The lead eyes cause the crab to dive for cover as a real crab would do, and once on the bottom, the closed cell foam causes the claws to float upwards like a crab in a defensive posture. The Velcro body is super easy and faster than Rug yarn. The glue on the velcor does not hold up in water, so you must add zap a gap or sparkle body to secure the two layers together. Using the Hook part of the dot for the bottom reduces the buoyancy of the crab body. The Claw design is a modification of the claws on the Chili Crab, the flash, legs and Velcro body are my combination. An additional benefit of using the hook portion on the bottom of the fly, it allows you to "Velcro" the crab on a wool patch to dry or as a spare fly.

Mike's Maribou Clouser
This version of the clouser provides a great deal of movement, compared to Buck tail and Calf tail.
Hook - #2-3/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - 3/0 Flat waxed nylon - Chartreuse shown. *Match the top material.
Eyes - Painted Medium Lead Eyes or equivalent
Top wing - Maribou - Chartreuse, match color to situation.
Flash - Crystal flash - Pearl (Shown with Yellow Pearl Polar Flash)
Lower wing - Maribou - White

Mike's Gummy Spoon Fly Sili Skin Handling Tips
Hook - #2-1/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Orvis Clear Mono thread.
Tail - White Maribou
Flash - Crystal Flash - Pearl or match spoon color. Tie a bunch at the rear of the hook with the Maribou.
Eyes - Lead Dumbbell style eyes or equivilent
Spoon Body - Metz Sili Skin
*Option - Coat the top spoon surface with epoxy to harden the spoon. Do not use Solvent Head Cement, it may remove the color from the Sili Skin.

Chandeleur Special Fly
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Olive 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Eyes - Painted Red Dumbbell style Lead eyes or equivalent
Body - Magnum cut Rabbit strip - Olive
Gill- Crystal Flash - Red
*Don't make the mistake of purchasing Crosscut Rabbit strips for this purpose.

Lefty's Fly Fur Shrimp
In Lefty's video, he states this has been one of his most productive flies for Redfish. It works well and the rattier looking the better.
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - 3/0 Brown Flat waxed nylon
Eyes - Lead Dumbbell style eyes or equivilent
Body - Fly Fur or Craft Fur - Brown or Tan.
Permanent Black Marker - a Sharpie was used to make bars on tail.
*The makers of Fly Fur, which has longer fibers than Craft Fur, may be out of business, according to the shop where I purchased mine,
the Fly Fur manufacturer no longer accepting phone calls. Sorry, I bought the last of it in that shop.

Double Mylar Tube Fly
Hook - #2 - 1/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Orvis Clear Mono
Eyes - Dumbbell style lead eyes or equivilent
Body and Tail - Medium Mylar tubing.
*One Piece does all, leave the tube long enough to form the tail, then pick out the tail.

Chum Fly for Shark
This is a one shot fly. If you catch a Shark, you cut the line as close as you can safely get, unless you plan of eating the shark and it is legal.
Hook - 7/0 J style
Thread - Red 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Body - Alternating bunches of Saddle hackles, White top and bottom at rear, followed by Yellow or Orange or Red Saddle Hackles mounted on the sides, etc.
Collar - Heavy bunches of Red Maribou

Richard's Rattling Crab Top and Bottom View Click here for Step by Step Tying Instructions
Hook - #2-2/0 Saltwater J style
Thread - Brown 3/0 Flat waxed nylon or match the color of the yarn used.
Claws - Saddle Hackles - Brown or Olive
Flash - Gold Flashabou *(Shown, can substitute Copper)
Rattle - 3mm (3 lead ball Glass Rattle)
Eyes - Large Lead dumbbell style eyes or equivilent
Rattle capture material and leg flash - Flashabou Mylar Tubing - Medium Gold shown. *(Can substitute Copper, Match Flash)

Gerald's Mudbug

Hook - #2 Long shank Saltwater J style
Thread - Brown 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Claws - Brown or Olive Saddle Hackles
Flash - Gold Flashabou
Eyes - Lead Eyes tied on bottom at curve of hook Vary the size to match the amount of flow in the stream you are fishing.
Body - 2mm EVA foam Tan.
*Cut strip and tie onto hook with parallel segments using brown thread. Lift the foam and wrap to next segment to acheive parallel segments.
*Tail action, tie in Maribou or Flat plastic strips to impart action near the hook eye. (The loose foam, shown, is layed back by the water flow and does not impart motion, but was still a highly effective fly.)

Gerald's Crawdaddy

Hook - #2 Long Shank Saltwater J style
Thread - Black 3/0 Flat waxed nylon
Claws - Brown Saddle Hackles
Flash - Red Crystal Flash
Underbody - 2mm EVA Tan Foam
Eyes - Lead Dumbbell style Eyes (vary size to match the flow of water you are fishing, i.e. larger lead eyes in faster water)
Body - Deerhair body, tied over the foam, and flared over the hook eye.

Pearl Mylar Tube Fly with Rattle

Hook - #6 to 1/0 J Style Saltwater
Thread - Mono
Rattle - Glass match to hook size
Body - Pearl Mylar Tubing match to hook size
Eyes - Stick on 3-D eyes to size
Gills - Red Sharpie marker

Chenille Shrimp Fly

Hook - #2 J Style Saltwater
Thread - Olive or Tan 3/0 Flat Waxed Nylon
Body - Chenille Variegated Olive and Tan
Legs - Brown or Olive Saddle hackle palmered over the Chenille and trimmed on top and sides
Feelers - Copper Crystal Flash
Eyes - Black Mono Large eyes
Tail - Golden Pheasant Tippet Section - Olive

Banded Cactus Shrimp Fly

Hook - #2 J Style Saltwater
Thread - Tan 3/0 Flat Waxed Nylon
Bady - Rootbeer or tan Cactus Chenelle
Eyes - Black Plastic Dumbell or melted tip mono
Back - Tan Rainies Craft Fur
Tie the Doumbell eyes on top of the hook. Tie the Craft Fur to the hook at the same point between the eyes. Make sure you have at least .25 inch of craft fur beyond the hook eye. Pull the fur back over the end of the hook and fasten with a clip to hold it out of the way. Tie in and wrap cactus chenelle around the hook shank to just before the hook eye and ties off. Pull craft fur over the cactus chenelle and tie the fur to the hook shank just before the hook eye. Mark with a black Shapie (permenent) the fur about .25 inch beyond the hook eye and cut across. Coat with head cement to stiffen the tail. Next mark the shrimps back with the black Sharpie, placing 4 to 5 bands across the craft fur. The tip of the marker makes it easier to create a fine line. This fly tends to suspend in the water column. If you desire a faster sink rate, add lead or non toxic wire to the hook shank to achieve the desired sink rate. Another option is to place a mono-weedguard to prevent hooking the bottom.

More to Come!