Luigi The Lobster
Luigi The Lobster
This fun to tie, semi-realistic, lobster/crayfish fly pattern for bonefish, permit, redfish and trout has produced well throughout the Mexican Yucatan, northern Belize, Cuba, Louisiana and Montana. Slow strips and hops along the bottom often result in solid, potentially knot breaking, takes.

Color variations of this fly to imitate other crustaceans include pink, rootbeer, pearl, white/orange, olive (mantis shrimp), white/chartreuse and tan.

Materials
Hook: TMC 811S, size 4
Thread: UNI-Thread 6/0 Rusty Brown
Weight: Fish Skull Shrimp & Cray Tails medium gold
Mouth Parts: EP Silky Fibers 3-D rust
Legs/Claws: Orange/orange-black barred sili-legs
Eyes: EP Crab and Shrimp Eyes x-small black
Body: EP Streamer Brush Short Fibers rust

Tying Instructions
Step 1. Insert the hook in the vise and attach the thread, wrapping back to the mid shank laying down a thread base.
Step 2. Run a bead of Zap-A-Gap along the thread wraps and then tie in the Shrimp & Cray Tail onto the top of the hook shank (This fly rides hook point up). Make sure the end of the tail doesn’t extend past the hook eye.
Step 3. Advance the thread to the point opposite the hook barb and then return to the hook mid point, laying down a thread base.
Step 4. Double a 1” long by 1/16” wide piece of rust EP Silky Fibers 3-D over the thread and proceed to tie it in along the hook shank stopping opposite the hook barb. Trim the mouth parts to approximately one hook gap in length.
Step 5.Return wrap the thread to the hook mid point. Select two x-small black EP Crab and Shrimp Eyes and trim them so that they will extend from the hook mid point to one hook eyes length beyond the mouth parts. Mash the back half of each eyes stalk flat with smooth jawed pliers to aid in the tie in. Position each eye stalk individually alongside the hook shank and wrap back to the hook bend tying the eye stalk down as you wrap. Bend each eye stalk out 45 degrees away from the hook shank.
Step 6. Return wrap the thread to the hook mid point. Select one strand of sili-legs from the bunch and then fold it over and cut in half. Double both strands of sili-legs over the thread and wrap back to the hook bend tying the legs down on top of the hook shank as you wrap.  This will result in four legs extending approximately 3/4” past the mouth parts.
Step 7a.  Tie in a 4 ½”  long piece of the rust coloured EP Streamer Brush Short Fibers starting at the mid point of the hook and wrapping to the bend.
Step 7b. Spiral wrap (palmer) the EP Streamer Brush up the body towards the tail, making sure to evenly space it, and not trap any fibers. Tie off in front of the tail and cut with a pair of side cutters (wire cutters).
Step 8. Build up a small thread head, whip finish and cover with head cement.
Step 9. With your scissors carefully taper the body from the tail (narrow) to the head (wide). Also, trim any loose fibers from around the hook eye and adjacent to the tail. Make sure the tail is visible and not hidden by the EP Streamer Brush fibers.

Your Luigi the Lobster is now complete and you are ready to head out On The Water!

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