# Creepy Crawly Redfish fly.



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

I've been tying and fishing this fly for years. I've made a few modifications over the years and this is the result. 

I use an Eagle Claw O'shaughnessy hook. These are cheap hooks, very sharp, short shank, fairly large eye. No offset and wide bend. I would not hesitate to flip one to a Tarpon. I sometimes use an Eagle Claw 413 jig hook and Clouser or Bead chain eyes. I really like the EC 413 hook but I have to order them because nobody stocks them.

Here is the hook (bottom) and the same hook I modified by bending the eye down slightly to help keep the fly point up on retrieve.









Tie in the snazzle and weed guard. 50# mono in this case. I'll trim it to proper length later.









Here are the rest of the materials. Brown Ice Chenille for the body, unwaxed monocord, silicone bass skirt pads.









Tie in skirt pad as shown. I let a little less than half extend forward of the hook eye.









Tie in Ice Chenille at the bend of the hook then advance tying thread to the eye of the hook.









Wrap Ice Chenille to the eye of the hook and secure with tying thread. Add head cement (I use Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails)









Finished fly.









Two finished flies.









Very quick tie, easy, very effective. Can be weighted but I seldom weight them.
Short strips make this fly come alive. I don't have a fly in my box that can match the 
action of this one. It works on Bass, Trout, Snook and Redfish.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

I like those.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

That is a very cool and simple fly. Thanks for sharing ken


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't know if you guys know who Ken is.......so I am going to "Out Him".

He is the "Obi Wan Kenobi" of the Big Bend/Crystal River. Very humble and very accomplished. 

IFGA Record holder
Accomplished guide (now retired)
Renowned saltwater fishing author
Expert Fly fisherman
All around super great guy.

If you can get down to his neck of the woods.....you would be privilaged to meet him and learn a thing or two.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Nope, not me.*

It couldn't be me because I don't even know that Kenobi guy.


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## ditz (Apr 22, 2012)

Interesting fly....I bet the LMB will like it. Thanks for posting


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

Thanks for the info and pictures. One question--what is the purpose of the "snazzle" ?


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

Sir, 

Thanks for the pic-filled tutorial.
Sure the usual suspects will inhale these flies.

Catch 'em up.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Snazzle purpose.*

The "Snazzle" (I think that is my original term but I may have heard it elsewere) is kinda stiff. It sticks out behind the hook to help keep wimpy tail material from fouling around the hook on a bad cast. I almost never have the tail foul around the hook if my fly has a Snazzle. The "CockRoach" Tarpon fly is very prone to a fouled tail. With a Snazzle, it doesn't foul.

I almost always use 30-50# mono but have used paint brush fibers for the Snazzle.

The skirt materialin the fly shown fouled around the hook occasionally as does long hackle feathers and maribou. Some synthetics foul too. Good casting technique helps but $$$$ happens occasionally. With the Snazzle, fouling seldom occurs. A fouled fly doesn't cast well nor does it catch fish.

With Maribou, I often take a couple of wraps around the Maribou and the Snazzle behind the bend of the hook. This absolutely assures that the tail doesn't foul.

I burn the end of the snazzle and weed guard to form a round ball. This further keeps material from fouling. 

An additional use for the Snazzle: To add a small tail to the very back of your fly, tie it onto the Snazzle. A small yellow Maribou puff on the end of the Snazzle simulates a minnow's tail.

I described the Snazzle in an article I wrote around 40 years ago.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*LMBs love the Creepy Crawly.*

On my favorite bank, I've caught Bass, Snook, Redfish, Trout and Flounders on the same trip. I catch an occasional Warmouth on it too.

I don't feel comfortable submerging my supposedly waterproof camera or I would shoot a short video of the Creepy Crawly. If somebody will shoot a video that can be posted here I'll send them a couple of these things. I don't have access to an aquarium right now or I'd shoot a video that way.


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

Ken...send them to me. I have a GoPro. I video flies on retrieve in my pool to test their action. Never thought of posting them. 

Tom


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Send me your address and I'll get them out tomorrow.*

Good deal. 3-5 seconds is all we need. Canyou shoot one of my Whacky Worm too?

I'll need your address.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*I just googled Snazzle and found more than I needed to know.*

This was the definition on Urban Dictionary. NASTY!!!

www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Snazzle Frazz


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

captken said:


> Good deal. 3-5 seconds is all we need. Canyou shoot one of my Whacky Worm too?
> 
> I'll need your address.


PM Sent with address...


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Sent them out this morning.*

I put them in the mail Saturday morning so you ought to get them Monday or Tuesday. I know what they look like from the top but I'd really like a side view.

When I worked for Berkley I enjoyed the lure testing tank at Spirit Lake, Iowa. It was about 50' long, 10' deep and 4' wide. You could get right down beside the lure as it passed 10 feet below the surface.


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

Great info in this post, thanks Captken. Definitely helps my FFin' continuing ed class I'm in :yes:.


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

Thanks for the snazzle explanation !!


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## wtbfishin (Dec 2, 2011)

Captken, I started to tie up a couple flies of your pattern here, and I'm wondering if you had an easy way to whip finish this guy? I could get a few hand done half hitches, and maybe several of those w/some head cement will do?


I ended up tying back the tentacles w/a rubber band that worked fine.


thanks


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*Little wire loop.*

I have a little wire loop about 1/2" in diameter. I slide it over the hook to hold the tentcles in place while I secure the head. I'm sure your rubber band worked just fine too.


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