Crabs and Pompano

CWFlies

Had to create a new account. Use to be Greenie-slayer but had a password reset to an email no longer in use we made a new account. Works out as wanted to change the name anyway to match my Facebook and instagram pages. 
Been super busy making flexo crabs. Got them finally looking right. Waiting for some pink and chartruse tubing to come in as I want to use them on pompano which have invaded my area. The smaller #4's heavily weight should be killer I think.Specially if I can throw them on the 5wt but may have to stick with the 8wt. Got 1 last weekend on fly but hoping the better tide this weekend leads to some good site fishing for them. Wouldn't mind adding 1 or 2 to my thanksgiving feast.

sunflower

I haven't caught a pompano since spring 2018.
I am going to put my mind to it this weekend.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving.

stc1993

You been busy.

CWFlies

sunflower said:

I haven't caught a pompano since spring 2018.
I am going to put my mind to it this weekend.
Have a lovely Thanksgiving.

They are running strong here in Stuart. Trouble is everyone around knows it. 

troutbom

Great looking flies. However, I've fished next to friends throwing wacky jigs or Redfish jigs and held my own throwing a # 6 ginger and white clouser with gold Krystal Flash . I tied it to match the Redfish Jigs so popular on Sailfish Flats.First time I tried it Danny Mitchell(miss you buddy) and I were fishing the pompano flats south of Choko and we were both amazed at how I caught  as many as he did on the wacky jig, Pink and white and Ch/wt work but the ginger/white seems to be best day in day out.Not near as cool looking as the flex crabs but they may work better. Try them side by side with a buddy and let us know.

Ol'DirtyCaster

   I use clousers & spoon flies, but I frequently catch them on small glass minnow patterns. I'm usually trying to cover water. They usually cruise fast and rarely follow a straight line. Not sure how you're hitting them with crabs. Sounds kinda difficult. The crabs are dope btw.

bocapup1

Would like to see how you make those is it possible you make a video and share?

CWFlies

Ol'DirtyCaster said:

   I use clousers & spoon flies, but I frequently catch them on small glass minnow patterns. I'm usually trying to cover water. They usually cruise fast and rarely follow a straight line. Not sure how you're hitting them with crabs. Sounds kinda difficult. The crabs are dope btw.

I normally use a gotcha style fly in pink or gold and weight it heavily then try and cover as much water as I can. Although on cold days with a low incoming tide we can find schools of pomps up on the flats tailing just like permit just not as spooky. That is more where the crab will come in since they are made to fish fast and cover water. 
This is the normal fly i use in #4 or #6 for pompano. 

bocapup1 said:

Would like to see how you make those is it possible you make a video and share?

I've had a few request for SBS videos. Once my website is up one of the things I will be doing is putting up videos for patterns I will be selling as DIY kits. The flexo crab will be one of those. Pretty easy fly to make once you see how. Just wish I had more redfish or permit in my area for them. 

Just for fun the pink pompano crab

troutbom

Saw those gotchas and ran to my vice. 

CWFlies

troutbom said:

Saw those gotchas and ran to my vice. 

Those gold ones are one of my favorites. Seems to catch everything.

lemaymiami

Those are great Gotcha variations.... I'll have to add a few of those to my arsenal.  We don't catch many pomps in the interior of the 'glades where I am most days with customers - but the ones we do catch are always big specimens - in the three pounds or better size range.  Out along the gulf coast we encounter school size pomps out in six feet of water out to about eight or nine feet but still not often... With close attention (someone watching behind the boat as we're running) we'll "skip" a few over deep grass running from one spot to another then circle back and fish blind until we either hook up or not.... The only time we find them in great numbers is when chumming for mackeral and other species something we do only occasionally... 

The Gotcha was always one of the patterns that I was asked to produce in great quantities back when I was tying commercially - it works well for bonefish almost anywhere you find them...

CWFlies

lemaymiami said:

Those are great Gotcha variations.... I'll have to add a few of those to my arsenal.  We don't catch many pomps in the interior of the 'glades where I am most days with customers - but the ones we do catch are always big specimens - in the three pounds or better size range.  Out along the gulf coast we encounter school size pomps out in six feet of water out to about eight or nine feet but still not often... With close attention (someone watching behind the boat as we're running) we'll "skip" a few over deep grass running from one spot to another then circle back and fish blind until we either hook up or not.... The only time we find them in great numbers is when chumming for mackeral and other species something we do only occasionally... 

The Gotcha was always one of the patterns that I was asked to produce in great quantities back when I was tying commercially - it works well for bonefish almost anywhere you find them...

My commercial tying is weird. Even the guying wanting bonefish flies don't get many of the gotchas, Maybe they just make those themselves. I always have gotchas in the box. They are like clousers you just can't go wrong with them,  I move a ton of the flexos. They have recently over taken the silver side surf candy as my most produced pattern. 

lemaymiami

I quit tying commercially about two years ago (but still do a ton of bucktail jigs and leadheads for anyone that wants them..).  Back then,  more than one shop was getting their bonefish bugs done offshore much cheaper than I was willing to do them so my bonefish orders were getting fewer and fewer.  Good luck with tying commercially I did that from 1979 forward until just two years ago - at times tying for three shops at a time... 

CWFlies

I only tie for 1 local shop. I don't really want more shops as they want a wholesale prices which cuts my margins way down. I would much rather just tie for individuals and use the extra time i would have used to tie for the shops to be on the water.