FLY
Saltwater Fly
Merkin Crab
Tied by David Matthews
Merkin Crab recipe
| Hook | Saltwater size 4 |
|---|---|
| Thread | UTC 140 Chartreuse |
| Eyes | Medium Silver Dumbell |
| Tail | Pearl Krystal Flash and two Brown Roster Hackles |
| Body | EP Fibers Tan and Brown |
| Legs | White medium round rubber tips marked with red sharpie |
What the Merkin Crab imitates
- Crab
Tied for: Permit, Redfish, Saltwater (general)
Where the Merkin Crab came from
- Originated by Del Brown, 1985, Florida Keys. Mid-1980s; yarn tied perpendicular and trimmed, heavy lead eyes. Umpqua credits Brown with Capt. Steve Huff; other sources credit Brown alone.Source: Umpqua Feather Merchants - Improved Merkin; also Sea Island Fly Fishers - Del Brown's Merkin Crab <https://seaislandflyfishers.org/del-browns-merkin-crab/>
- Originated by Capt. Steve Huff, 1985, Florida Keys. Umpqua names Huff as co-designer with Del Brown in the mid-1980s; Sea Island Fly Fishers/Salt Water Sportsman credit Brown only.Source: Umpqua Feather Merchants - Improved Merkin
- Popularized by Sandy Moret, Florida Keys. Moret scaled it down to #4 for Keys bonefish (the Improved Merkin variant).Source: Umpqua Feather Merchants - Improved Merkin
Where sources tell it differently, each account is listed with its own source.
Inside the vault every material on this fly opens to its own card, and you can save the fly to your own boxes.
