This is an original pattern designed for redfish in stained and muddy water. The reds simply inhale this fly. Most reds are hooked fairly deep with this fly, requiring pliers to remove it, so I recommend pinching down the barb. I am still experimenting with the fly, but it is quickly becoming the first fly I tie on.
- Side view of the DRFC
Capt. Dave’s Double Rattle Flash Crab
“Loved by Redfish in the Golden Isles”
Ingredients:
Hook: Gamagatsu B10S, stinger hook, #2
Tail: Black Rabbit Zonker Strip, Grizzly Neck Hackle, Pearl K-flash
Body: Grand Black Ice Chenille (Note: The correct size of Grand Ice Chenille is no longer available. All of the estaz and ice chenille currently available is not large enough to form the body. I have substituted Black, Cascade Crest 1 1/4″ Holographic and Tri-lobal hackle with great success.)
Eyes: Small or X-tra small red dumbbell eyes.
Rattles: Two 3mm fly or worm rattles (small)
Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails or Head Cement
Hot melt glue and glue gun
50 lb hard mono for weedguard
Thread: Danville, waxed black
Directions:
Tail: Clamp hook in vice, make a thread base. Measure Zonker strip so it extends 1/16” short of where the dumbbell eyes will be placed, leaving leave enough room to tie in weedguard and small head in front of eyes. The zonker tail should extend over hook bend approximately one shank length. Tie zonker strip to top of hookshank, spiral wrapping forward and then to the rear to secure it to the entire hook shank, making a base onto which the rattles will be glued. Select two grizzly hackles sized for a size 8-10 dry fly. Tie one in on each side of the hook shank so they are the length of the zonker tail and so they flare out on each side of the zonker strip. Tie in 10-12 pieces of K-flash on top of rabbit strip. Trim so a few strands extend beyond tail. Trim to uneven lengths.
Wrap thread to the front of the tied in zonker strip and attach dumbbell eyes with figure eight wraps. Wrap a few times under the eyes to tighten the eyes to the hook shank. Place a drop of head cement on the eyes to secure them to the shank.
Place a small bead of hot melt glue along one side of the hook shank, and glue rattle along hook shank. Repeat for reverse side.
Secure rattles to hook shank with wraps of thread, ending at the rear of the fly, just behind rattles and in front of the tail.
Tie in Grand Ice Chenille and advance thread to just behind the lead eyes. Liberally coat rattles top, bottom and sides with head cement or Hard as Nails.
Wrap Ice Chenille tightly up the fly, sweeping the fibers back so they don’t get trapped under subsequent wraps of chenille. (You might have to make a few wraps to ramp up the rattles.) Wrap up to just behind the dumbbell eyes and tie off. Wrap thread in front of eyes and tie off with a whip finish or half hitch. Do not cut thread.
Pull fibers out to the side, flattening the body of fly. Run a bead of Hard as Nails or head cement on the top and bottom of the hook shank, down the middle of the Chenille. Pull the fibers out, working the Hard as Nails or cement into the fibers to thoroughly flatten the fly. Trim sides of fly fibers to approximately the shape and size of a quarter. Trim top and bottom of the fly to completely flatten the fly.
Turn hook upside down in vise. Cut a short piece of 50 lb Hard Mono for a weed guard and bend it into a V. Tie the weed guard in with figure 8 wraps, posting the two legs as necessary to hold them in position.
Cement head, trim weed guard and go fishing.