Post full moon there's a lot of crabs around in the wash and around the groins and jetties. Yesterday while throwing Clousers for fluke I snagged several calico, or lady crabs (ovalipes ocellatus). When legendary fly tyer and fly fisherman Bob Popovics saw my post about it on Facebook he said that the bass where on them and that sight fishing on the outgoing tide would not only be challenging but a prime time to catch a summertime bass.
Well yesterday it was brutally hot and the beaches full of beachgoers, so I decided to give it a go early this morning while the tide was still moving out. I was out of my truck by 4 am and worked a large crab fly I tied last night up and down a good low water holding groin. I concentrated tight in the rocks at the ip but didn't move a fish. I got about an hour out of my "creation" before the top and bottom of the "shell" came apart. It was probably just as well as it surely was more visible as first light and the sun came up.
Since my crab fly was just about done I downsized and went both smaller and realistic. I had purchased this crab kit at the Somerset Fly Tying Symposium. I thought I got them at Rob Lewis's booth, but I can't confirm it. I looked on his website and didn't see a mention of it. I also purchased the Enrico eyes at the show but they're a little big for this size fly. Straight burned mono or a bead/burned mono will work. This fly looks great in the water and casts better then mine which casts like a pillow. I didn't get any hits on either, but it was a slow morning. Towards the end I switched over to a Clouser and pulled a 16" fluke out from a small rip. I checked with a couple friends who were out looking for the flatties and it was a short for each of them.
My buddy Al says I need to develop my crab fly fishing skills since they're a major part of a striper's, and fluke's, diet but seldom used by fly fishers on the Jersey Shore.
