Cormorant Poop Toad Fly
Cormorant Poop Toad Fly
This variation of Gary Merriman’s famous Tarpon Toad fly is designed to imitate the “droppings” produced by a cormorant. In the Campeche, Mexico area there are numerous cormorant rookeries along the mangrove lined coast. At these locations, the baby tarpon has come to associate the presence of cormorant droppings with an abundant supply of food.

When the droppings hit the water, and start to slowly disperse and sink, small baitfish leave the safety of the mangrove roots to feed on the suspending material. These baitfish, and the droppings themselves in-turn, attract baby tarpon looking for an easy meal. Casting a Cormorant Poop Toad Fly tight to the rookery vegetation and letting it dead drift with the tide often results in a very visual take from a junior Silver King. 

Materials
Hook: Gamakatsu SL12S, Size 1/0
Thread: UTC Ultra 140 olive green
Eyes: Large black mono eyes
Tail: White marabou quills
Collar: Yellow thin-cut rabbit zonker strip
Body: EP 3D Fibers; olive

Tying Instructions
Step 1. Insert the hook in the vise and attach the thread.
Step 2. Tie in one or two quality marabou feathers just before the bend in the hook. Wrap the marabou shaft six times with thread to raise (post) the tail and prevent fouling.
Step 3. Tie in and palmer a yellow rabbit zonker strip three times just forward of the marabou tail. Tie it off with several tight wraps of thread and a drop of Zap-A-Gap.
Step 4. Move the thread forward to a point one eye length back of the hook eye. Place a drop of Zap-A-Gap on the thread wraps and then figure-eight wrap the mono eyes to the top of the hook.
Step 5.Prepare a match stick thick bunch of EP fibers by cutting it into 1.5” long pieces. You will need six or seven of these segments per fly.
Step 6. Tie in, using figure-eight wraps, each precut segment on top of and angled 90 degrees to the hook shank. Start flush with the yellow rabbit collar and attach the segments in sequence to form a standard crab-style body.
Step 7. Whip finish and cement all the visible thread wraps.
Step 8. Trim the EP fiber body into a slightly oval shape with scissors.

Your Cormorant Poop Toad is now complete and you are ready to head out On The Water!

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