CrustaceanadvancedFlorida Keys & South Florida
Raghead Crab
$9.50
Available Sizes#2 - #6
Color Variations
TanOliveBrown/Tan
The Raghead Crab is made from rug yarn, which is either an act of genius or desperation depending on whom you ask. What is not debatable is that it catches permit. The yarn body creates a flat, crab-like profile that sinks slowly and wobbles in the current with an authenticity that fooled countless fish that have seen every crab pattern in the catalog. Sometimes the best ideas come from the hardware store.
Quick Facts
TypeCrustacean
Difficultyadvanced
SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall
Target SpeciesPermit, Bonefish
Sizes#2 - #6
Best LocationsMarquesas Keys, FL; Content Keys, FL; Key West Flats, FL
Where to Fish It
Marquesas Keys
FL · Flats
Content Keys
FL · Flats
Key West Flats
FL · Flats
Map unavailable. Locations for Raghead Crab: Marquesas Keys, FL; Content Keys, FL; Key West Flats, FL
Related Reading
region guide
Florida Keys: Chasing the Flats Grand Slam
The Florida Keys Grand Slam — bonefish, permit, and tarpon on the fly in a single day — is saltwater fly fishing's ultimate test. It demands mastery of three different species, three different presentations, and an almost unreasonable amount of luck. Here's how to stack the odds in your favor.
species science
The Holy Grail: Why Permit Are the Ultimate Challenge
Permit are the most selective, most maddening, and most rewarding fish in saltwater fly fishing. They eat crabs, they refuse crabs, and the difference between those two outcomes is a mystery that has consumed anglers for decades. Here's what science and experience have taught us.
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