Velcro Crab

[Bjorn]

Looking around for crab patterns I was directed at two different patterns... Merkins and a Velcro Crab. I got the makings of Velcro Crabs and went to work today... this is one sweet pattern. It could be that the fish won't eat these, but they sure LOOK buggy.

http://wp.me/pCfe5-at

I have crabs!

B-

[Darian]

Yeah,.... But are they Crabby :?: :?: :lol:

[Bjorn]

Ha! Yes, crabby!

[Bjorn]

Anyone have ideas for how to keep the hook in place on this Velcro Crab? Just doesn't seem to want to stay put. Superglue?

B-

[FISHEYE]

Very nice looking crab. My question was how you are keeping the velcro in place on the hook. Looks like you have the same question.

Here is a crab I have been tying with sculpin wool for Belize fishing. I have then in very dark olive and this light olive with various shades of legs.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s240/BN2FSH/001.jpg

[Darian]

Keeping the hook in place between the velcro buttons might be done with Plio-Bond better than CA adhesives.... It's strong yet flexible. Be sure to wrap the shank and use enough cement to cover to the edges....

CA adhesives would make the body hard, tend to get brittle over time and may shatter after several bites.

[Bjorn]

Good looking crab there. Those look good, but I have not developed the skill to tie those just yet. The velcro fly has a very low skill factor involved so right out of the shoot they look pretty decent.

I tried one with superglue to try and keep it in place and that seems to have worked. The others do have some movement, which makes me question the pattern. I just tied one with a little mono loop in it to help it from rolling. I think there are going to be some solutions where I'll tie something long the hook to keep it from spinning... maybe some mono eyes or something like that... might add a little volume to the fly, which wouldn't be bad... that and some super glue and I think I'm there.

B-

[David Lee]

Hi Bjorn .

Take GOOP (household , or marine) , and thin it with Toloul (same stuff as Toluene ..... you can find it @ OSH or ACE , I think) . It makes a bulletproof , flexable glue . It dries tougher than any other cement I have used .

Crack the windows in your workplace - this stuff is really toxic .

Shoot me a PM when you want to come down the hill and learn to deal with Wool - it's a great material to tye with .....

David

[Bjorn]

I'd love to come down and learn wool... the childcare is my constraint. We'll see what I can work out.

I tied one crab last night with the mono eye t'ed over the hook to provide anti-spin stability... it worked pretty well. I think that may be the easiest solution.

So many patterns, so little time!

[Bjorn]

OK... clearly more help is needed... I've figured out how to stop the spinning... so, one problem taken care of.

Now... there are two more issues that have come up from putting the VC in a tub of water to see how the thing settles to the bottom.

First problem... it doesn't settle to the bottom... it floats... you have to really soak the thing to get it to settle to the bottom. I've added a little weight, which helps, but if it is dry, even with the weight, it isn't sinking straight away.

Second problem... it doesn't exacly land the right side (hook point up). I'm guessing more and differently placed weight might be the answer, but I'm unsure where to add it since this is such a flat pattern.

So... any ideas?

[Darian]

In general, synthetic materials are not as dense as natural materials. Therefore, they tend to float or sink slowly as you've already noted. Weight may be added by using lead/tungsten, barbell eyes, adding weight to the shank of the hook or flat strips between the velcro buttons, or by using a heavier/stout wire hook. Your choice.... :| Interesting project. :nod:

[Bjorn]

I tied one up today with lead eyes... need the superglue to dry and then I'll give it a couple of plops in the sink. Funny thing will be when I actually go to the Bahamas and don't use any of these. Now, it is more about getting the pattern right. Having fun with it.