The Flexo Crab: A Permit Crab for Any Fish That Eats Them

Mike Cline ties in Bozeman and fishes southwest Montana most of the year, and every fall he takes a box of saltwater flies to the Gulf Coast of Florida. We have run his Dancing Deceiver and Myakka Minnow already. This is the crab from the same box.

He sent it to us in October, written up in his own words. His notes and tying tips run below as he wrote them, with a short note on the hook after.

The Flexo Crab

By Mike Cline

Although I won’t have an opportunity to target some sheepshead with the Flexo Crab pattern until later this year, I’ve connected with a few sheepshead over the years on other crab patterns. Since the Flexo Crab pattern happens to be one of the patterns in the Fly Fishing International Fly Tying Group Saltwater Tying Award program, I thought I’d give it a try. Created in the Seychelles in the 1980s for permit the realistic crab pattern is effective for any target that forages on small crabs.

The unique open mesh body weighted with dumbbell eyes sinks quickly, but softly. Although it’s typically tied with some model of a barbed saltwater hook, the Firehole 826 with its subtle shank bend is a good platform for the pattern. Color combinations are dependent on availability of Flexo tubing and chenille colors.

Tan Flexo Crab on an 826. Photo by Mike Cline.

The recipe

Materials

• Hook: Firehole 826 #2-#4
• Thread: UTC 140
• Weight: Small Lead or Tungsten Dumbbell eyes
• Eyes: Shrimp or crab eyes
• Legs and Claws: Ultra or Micro Crab Chenille
• Flash: Petite Estaz Chenille
• Body: 1/8” or 1/4” Flexo Tubing

Mike's tying tips

Tying the Flexo Crab takes a bit of practice but there are plenty of online videos to get you started. There are several tips that have made tying the pattern a bit easier.

1. Secure the dumbbell eyes mid-shank favoring a position closer to the hook bend. Once secured with cross wraps, seal the thread top and bottom with UV resin or superglue. This prevents them from sliding around as you manipulate the Flexo tubing. After sealing the dumbbell eye wraps, add a few cross wraps of Petite Estaz Chenille to cover the wraps.
2. Wind the tread to just below the hook bend and create a small thread bump. Seal the thread bump with UV resin or superglue. This bump keeps the Flexo tubing from sliding down the hook bend when installing the tubing.
3. Cut the tubing to the desired length with a cauterizing tool if possible. If cutting with scissors, cauterize the cut ends to prevent fraying. Push the tubing over the dumbbell eyes and secure the rear end with thread wraps. Finish with double half-hitches or whip finish. Coat thread wraps with UV resin or superglue. Trim the thread. Push the tubing toward the hook bend until the front end of the tubing is just behind the hook eye. Secure with thread wraps as you did with the rear end. Flatten the tubing with your fingers to create a “crab shell” profile.
4. Prepare the claws from approximately 4” of micro chenille. Fold the chenille in half and tie an overhand knot at the folded end leaving a loop about 3/8” long.
5. Prepare the legs by cutting three pieces of chenille approximately 1.5” long each.
6. Using a bobbin threader or large needle thread the claw chenille through the front third of the body with the claw knot about 3/8” from the body. Tie an overhand knot at the other end to create the second claw. Adjust the claws so that they are even on each side, cut the loop on the first claw and trim the excess chenille.
7. Using a bobbin threader or large needle thread each leg piece through the body on the back half of the Flexo body. Trim to the desired length.
8. With all the chenille in position, apply a small dab of UV resin or superglue to each leg and claw where it enters and exits the body.
9. Cauterize the ends of each claw and leg to prevent fraying. Color the ends of the claws with an orange or red alcohol marker.
10. Install the crab eyes at the front of the body and secure with a dab of UV resin or superglue.
11. OPTIONAL: You can color the legs and body with markings with an alcohol marker.

Blue Flexo Crab on an 826. Photo by Mike Cline.

Why the 826

The Firehole Sticks 826 is a heavy-wire streamer hook with a wide 2XG gap and a 26-degree up-bend at the eye. Mike ties the Flexo Crab on #2 and #4.

The weight sits in the dumbbell eyes, and the flat mesh body keeps the fly from diving hard. That is Mike's point about a crab that sinks "quickly, but softly." The wide gap leaves room for the point under a flattened body and a set of chenille legs, and the heavy wire is there for fish that crush crabs for a living.

Like every Firehole hook, the 826 is manufactured barbless. On a permit or a sheepshead that means a fast, clean release, with no pliers in the boat.

Firehole Sticks 826, #1/0 through #10.

Thank you to Mike for this one.

~John

Sources

• Mike Cline, "Flexo Crab," sent to Firehole, 12 October 2026. Pattern notes, materials, tying tips and photos.
• Firehole Sticks 826 product specifications (wire, gap, eye angle, size range).