Lobster anyone?

[scruffy_fish]

Here is my latest attempt at a lobster fly that is surprisingly simple to tie. The carapace and tail are poly foam material used for packaging. The extended tail hinges at the eye of the hook to give it action on the retrieve. To get it to work on the bottom I plan on adding a sliding weight along a short leader as the fly is very light.

[mdrew9]

are you kidding me? I had to look real close to see if it really was a lobster or not, I thought you were playing a trick on us. Ingredients?
Mike

[Quicksilver]

Incredible realism! As configured I guess you would fish it with a dead drift. You are one more tyer here whose work should be in a book.

[striblue]

Nice Job...very realistic!

[tyguy]

My stomach started growling with hunger when I saw this fly! Very realistic!! Will you be posting a recipe for this delicacy?

[scruffy_fish]

Thanks guys for the positive feed back. I'll post a recipe soon, but the key to the fly is the poly foam and some markers. The tail is surprisingly simple and adds the realistic effect to the pattern. I’m sure it won’t stand up to many blue fish attacks, but it’s not a difficult tie so replacement will be easy.

[Salvy]

Looks great...whats the chances of getting the recipe?

[scruffy_fish]

“Lobster Anyone”

Recipe
Hook- Mustad #3407 Saltwater 4/0
Thread- White monochord or clear mono line
Eyes- Round dumbbell or bead chain painted black
Mouth- Pink, lt green, blue violet Flashaboo topped with Golden pheasant red crest
Feelers- Thick stem hackle stripped and marked in red. (leave a few barbs at tip)
Claws- Ring Neck Pheasant shoulder fearther ( coat with Hard-as-Nails and pull to compact profile)
Legs- Dark olive Grizzly hen hackle ( palmered around carapace)
Tail tips- Ring Neck Pheasant shoulder feather tips with long stem (no coating)
Carapace / tail- 1/8 thick closed cell poly foam packaging material
Body color- Markers to suit, green/brown and red
Coating / adhesive- Hard-as-Nails polish and Softex

Tying steps
1. Tie in bumbell eyes above barb of hook, secure as in a Clouser.
2. Tie in mouth materials, mix Flashaboo colors, tie between eyes,
top with red Golden Pheasant hackle striped from stem.
3. Tie in feelers facing up from eyes.
4. Tie in claws on sides below eyes.
5. Tie in hen hackle at base if eyes and palmer to eye of hook. (If you want
to weight fly wrap hook shank before palmering, with lead free wire.)
6. Cut poly foam to shape of carapace and make tail 2X long as carapace.
7. Put small hole in foam at juncture of tail and carapace then slide over
hook eye and tie in at eye of hook with tail under eye. (Do not cut tying
thread yet).
8. Apply Softex to underside of carapace facing legs and fold over legs, you
may have to trim side of foam to adjust profile. (Hold with clothes pin till
set)
9. Fold under tail to just under hook eye and tie in at eye leave open loop
formed by foam.
10. Puncture two small holes at folded end of tail to accept tail feather long
stem and insert stems
(Pull tail feather tight to end of tail)
11. Softex foam loop in tail together with tail feather stems in side, squeeze
tail flat untill set.
12. Wrap tying thread around tail to form segments (don’t pull thread to
tight) continue to form other segments evenly spaced down tail. Tie off
at last segment with whipping knot.
13. Color carapace and top of tail with markers to suit desired color, then
coat with hard as nails all over foam and under tail.
14. Serve with butter. :brow

[tyguy]

Thanks for the recipe! --127-3-