CrustaceanadvancedFlorida Keys & South Florida
Raghead Crab
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Regional source directory
Forgotten Coast Fly Co.
Matched on Florida Keys & South Florida, crustacean flies, bonefish. Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast shop lead for inshore saltwater patterns.
Salty Fly Tying
Matched on Florida Keys & South Florida, crustacean flies, bonefish. Drew Chicone's saltwater tying catalog and learning hub, strongest for saltwater pattern validation.
Fulling Mill Flies
Matched on crustacean flies, bonefish, crab. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.
Orvis Fly Catalog
Matched on crustacean flies, bonefish, crab. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.
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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
Where to Fish It
Marquesas Keys
FL · Flats
Content Keys
FL · Flats
Key West Flats
FL · Flats
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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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