# Bonefish bugs- a primer



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Part two

The next nearly universal pattern has to be the Crazy Charlie (originally called the Nasty Charlie). Most do it with a calftail wing (sparse or full - depending on how fast you need it to sink and/or how well you want the hookpoint protected by the wing....). Can't remember how many different variations I've seen for this pattern (and the Gotcha is included as far as I'm concerned....). These bugs work well everywhere - except over thick grass where they're pretty much useless as far as I'm concerned... Here's a pic of the usual colors I've done them in...










The right side flies are size #6 - the ones on the left are in size #4 - note the two in the middle, a pretty fair size comparison between the two sizes..

Here's a start on color combinations, wing first - then body... white/pearl, pink/silver, brown/gold, yellow/gold, fl. yellow/pearl... The first tying steps are done with the hook in the conventional position in your vise... eyes first (keep at least an eye's width back from the hook eye - then tie in your body (lots of variations here) - most use diamond braid or something similar... if the braid is fine - double it first before tying in place then winding from the bend forward to the eye - then tie off... Now reverse the hook in the vise and tie in the wing with the hook in point up position... As you can guess this pattern lends itself to production tying.... When I was on my game I could do about 18 per hour and still keep good quality results... Now for a few variations - my favorite was my own - called a Clear Charlie - thread was four pound monofilament (re-cycled clear fishing line) - and the body was clear V-rib, medium size. At times the body was kept clear - at other times I use pink pearl flashabou underneath the clear V-rib...










Look at the bottom fly with the heavy wing - I took a fair number of big tailing bones with it (more about that later...). Wing was tan kiptail (calf tail), size #4... Note the top two flies - they'll come up separately... Last is the Gotcha - to my mind always a Charlie variation - but it has become one of the universal bugs for bonefish anywhere in the world. the wing is tan (almost white in some samples) craft fur - the body is pearl diamond braid (or something similar - as long as it's pearl... thread is Danville's flat waxed in either pink or fl. orange... The following pic shows them in sizes #4, #6, and #8....












Now for a last variation called the Blind Charlie - no photo here... but all the pattern consists of is a Crazy Charlie without eyes (or after your guide has nipped off the eyes to make the fly a bit more subtle in very shallow waters..). The really big drawback of the Charlies is not just that they don't work well over heavy grass (unless you cheat and "gamble" a bit - more about that later...) but they also make a noticeable splash when landing - not the thing in calm waters where the fish have any sophistication at all... The following pic was not a Charlie at all - but it's been working for more than forty years now - Chico Fernandez's Bonefish Special... This is what folks are trying for with a Blind Charlie...










Bonefish Special in size #4 (you'll find it in Lefty's first saltwater fly book, page 33....) I do a bit shorter wing....



Now for a couple of shrimp patterns - not shown much anymore... The first is the Mitch Howell (my version).. it was originally done by Bob Kay without the tiny lead eyes I like.. Look at the top two flies shown in the second photo... The fly is named after an outstanding bonefish angler who won the Islamorada bonefish tournament more than once (and shows up here as FMH...) - then years later actually ran the tournament... We fished together in the late seventies when we were much younger (understatement for me...). The head on the Mitch is the finest ultra chenille doubled before tying into place. the body Aunt Lydia's sparkle yarn in tan... For a look at Bob Kay's original Mitch Howell look on page 37 in Lefty's book...



The second shrimp pattern is my version of Chico Fernandez's Snapping Shrimp pattern... I like to have both light and dark variations on hand with this bendback shrimp pattern... For those who've never bent a hook to make a bendback pattern - less bend is better than more... Here's a pic - one of the few bonefish bugs I did with painted eyes...










Thread is 3/0 monocord, the wing is black bear in the dark version - cinnamon phase bear in the tan version...

These bugs (all of the "shrimpy" bonefish patterns I ever used...) were always used over thick turtle grass and rarely snagged up when retrieved in short strips... You can easily see that the body is medium sized chenille.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Part three 


Lastly are crab patterns (a great choice for really big bonefish (or when fishing places where you might encounter small permit along with your bonefish..). Every saltwater tyer wants their own crab pattern at some point - and most will work - as long as they're on the small size... generally smaller than a nickel (maybe much smaller...).

My first example is my version of Craig Matthews Turneffe crab (I called it a Spider crab - and did it in a variety of colors with a weedguard...)










Spider crab in size #4










assorted colors... I delivered these in every size from a #8 up to a #2.... the body is furry foam cut into 1/2" strips for tying purposes...



My last crab for bonefish is the Velcro crab (I have no idea who first came up with them - but they do work well - mine has the leading edge trimmed flat before assembly, since much of this bug is not tying - but glue work...)










Note the size of the lead eyes... every crab pattern must dive straight down on landing and sit upright on the bottom -if it doesn't it just won't work... 

This pattern starts with eyes and weedguard tied into place with eyes next to the hook eye.. then the tail, splayed hackle tips in cree or grizzly and the ribs (two short pieces of 12lb mono) tied in at right angles to the hook shank - a bit smaller than the diameter of your velcro coins - these are the "ribs" you'll be gluing your velcro to... All the tying is completed at this point with the exception of the finishing turns to prop up the weedguards... Now you'll glue the two coins together after laying three pieces of sili legs across one of them so that the legs stick out two inches on each side - you'll trim them to length later... (your choice of glues for the coins from five minute epoxy to contact cement to Pliobond...) , hook side down, trimmed edge forward. Once the body sets up, re-attach your thread and finish the weedguards, then a tiny drop of krazy glue on the thread... When it's all dry you can leave the top as is for a tan color or use various green or similar color Sharpies to color the back - the bottom is treated with fabric glue or paint - your choice of colors - note the bug showing the bottom (where the hook and loop part is coated with fabric paint or glue... Remember any crab pattern has to be small (around the size of a dime for best results...). Crab patterns are one of the few places where I'll occasionally want a hook a bit stronger than the standard Mustad 34007 since every now and then a big permit will come after a small crab... 



When I first went after bones on fly (mid seventies..) I was taught to tie my leaders to Charles of the Ritz specs - in the following formula... butt section 3 feet, next down two feet, hinge one foot - then the tippet at 3 feet for a nine foot leader in the following sizes 3ft of 30lb, 2ft of 20lb, 1ft of 15lb, then 3ft of 10 or 8lb mono... Connections were all blood knots. This nine foot formula worked well until.... everyone started hammering bonefish (and we went from three guides for all of Biscayne Bay to ten or more plus all the weekend warriors around.... then longer leaders became de rigeur... At that point I learned to set all my fly lines up with three, four, or a bit more feet of heavy butt section with a permanent surgeon's loop at the bitter end - then used store bought 7 or 9 foot tapered leaders loop to looped for a ten to twelve foot leader....



The only way I was ever able to use a Crazy Charlie for big fish (given that they make quite a splash on landing..). was to go to a "gambling style" presentation... In short, you lay out your cast staying at least ten feet from your target - very carefully noting the exact spot it landed... then simply don't move it at all... You're gambling that the fish will move to your fly (that's why it's critical to know exactly where it landed, but bones don't move in a straight line much of the time....). If the fish doesn't go where you need it to go then pick up the fly and try again... but if that fish gets within a foot or so of where your bug is sitting simply give it a very short (less than four inches) twitch so that it hops up off the bottom then settles back down. If mr. spooky has seen it you're in business, period... If all else fails simply slide it very slowly away before picking it up and trying again, sometimes that will draw a strike - but if it doesn't you haven't spooked your target... A bonefish of ten pounds or better is your reward when your gambling pays off - but at least you won't be spooking them with your presentation... The difference between a big bonefish and the average one is not just size - they're usually very spooky and tough to feed... once you hook a really big bone the difference is startling... most bonefish will make a long run - but short of 100 yards then you'll turn them and start winning.. a really big bone will run a hundred yards then pause a moment - then start their second hundred yard run (dragging your fly line and backing across the bottom in the process... By the way a really big tailing bonefish will usually show only half of its tail - and that will look like a clear glass knife blade about four to as much as six inches long... It's enough to give you a cardiac boost for sure when you're within casting range... I found that my best results on the big fish were usually when I was on foot (something that's not hard on oceanside flats - but very difficult on soft bayside flats where just wading is a serious challenge...



Hope this helps... none of these patterns are set in stone - in two to three feet of water alongside a channel with a noticeable current a bug with lead eyes is almost a necessity... in very shallow waters where there's no current you can detect... a tiny fly that barely sinks might just be the ticket. and so it goes...


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## Frank Ucci (Jan 20, 2019)

Thanks Bob. Looking forward to Part II. Have you ever perfected actually tying these things while driving down to Flamingo?


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## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Great post!!


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Fantastic read, thank you for sharing!


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## BigEasy (Dec 17, 2016)

As a total noob to the salt I really ate that up. Thanks so much


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## 8w8n8 (Sep 30, 2017)

… cool post … so much knowledge … virtual knuckle-bump, Bob ...


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## Scrather (Mar 12, 2018)

Great posts Bob, it is humbling to read them and realize how much I don’t know about bonefish. I sure am looking forward to learning though!


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## Canebrake51 (Feb 15, 2018)

Read every word twice,now will read again. Thanks so much for all this great information.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

Excellent post Capt. Thank you.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Thanks capt. You have forgotten more about fish than all of us on the board combined. Any time you feel like giving us some insight and a touch of your knowledge, it’s a pleasure to read, and an honor to learn from you.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Believe it or not I actually used to teach this stuff years ago... Can’t remember all the folks that taught me so this a sort of payback... 

If I ever have to leave the water there’s a book or two to write... if I’m able.


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## duppyzafari (Jul 9, 2015)

Great info and a lot of it - perfect for avoiding work on a Monday morning!

I think I speak for everyone when I say "Keep em coming!" Every species, every fishery - you've got the knowledge and our attention!

Thanks!


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Awesome read. Will be spending some time on the vice with some of these this week. Nothing like the acceleration of a Bonefish when they first get hooked. They definitely keep you coming back for more.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Excellent primer and a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for taking the time to share, Capt. Bob. Always enjoy reading your posts.


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## Doublehaul (Oct 3, 2015)

lemaymiami said:


> I originally posted this on another site where the mostly freshwater tyers looked at it - then moved on... As usual I got a bit carried away, but think folks getting into bonefishing might like a beginning piece on the flies to start with... This info is a bit dated since I pretty much quit tying bonefish bugs for shops a few years back (the shops I dealt with found a cheaper source...).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Awesome! Thanks for taking the time.


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## levidog (May 14, 2017)

Bob,
As I’ve said of your other post’s, it’s not just your wealth of knowledge, but your willing ness to pass it along to all of us that garners my respect for you. 
You are the man. 

Thanks again
Tim


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## manny2376 (Mar 15, 2007)

We all just read a master at work there! Thank you for your kindness and openness Capt!


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

So helpful and very much appreciated. Thank you.


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

I hope this is OK. I found this posted some years ago on another site by Capt LeMay. Seems like it would be helpful added to this thread.

"For bugs designed to ride hook point up (snapping shrimp, spider crabs, and others) I like an "outrigger style" weedguard. That guard is quite simple -for a #4 hook I use 15lb Ande mono (12lb for a #6 hook). I learned to do this style after I utterly failed with mustache style weedguards... Here's the procedure, tie in everything on the fly except the last 1/8" behind the hook eye then double a piece of 15lb mono (the entire length of the mono when doubled should be the overall length of whatever hook you're using or slightly longer (remember this is only for flies being tied "hook up" in the vise and designed to fish with hook up...). The loop of mono is tied in on top of the hook shank, using the last bit of the doubled mono with the loop facing forward. The rest of the fly is then finished until you have all the materials in place but the thread is not quite finished. As you finish up the thread head lift the loop above the horizontal and do five or six strong turns of thread in front of the loop to stand it up at about a 45 degree angle to the hook shank, still leaning forward - then whip finish and you're done with the tying portion - but still not quite done overall... Your last step, while the fly is still in the vise is to cut the loop exactly in the center with a small pair of nippers. You now have two arms facing forward at that 45 degree angle - but curved in toward each other - spread them apart at a 45 degree angle then straighten each leg by stroking it between the thumb and middle finger with the nail against the outside curve of the mono (the exact same way you'd use your fingernail and thumb to put a curve into a ribbon...). When done each arm is straight and still angled 45 degrees from the horizontal and 45 degrees apart from the other arm. The very last step is a tiny drop of thin super glue (I use Krazy Glue) on the thread instead of any head cement. The super glue locks everything into place - particularly your weedguard... and you won't find any other type of guard that works as well - particularly on grass bottomed areas......"


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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

Dang. So Awesome.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

@lemaymiami which of these flies is your favorite for tailing ocean side fish in Biscayne Bay? I had about 5 shots yesterday and no takers. Average fish was about 5lbs and was in about a foot of water.


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## Doublehaul (Oct 3, 2015)

numbskull said:


> I hope this is OK. I found this posted some years ago on another site by Capt LeMay. Seems like it would be helpful added to this thread.
> 
> "For bugs designed to ride hook point up (snapping shrimp, spider crabs, and others) I like an "outrigger style" weedguard. That guard is quite simple -for a #4 hook I use 15lb Ande mono (12lb for a #6 hook). I learned to do this style after I utterly failed with mustache style weedguards... Here's the procedure, tie in everything on the fly except the last 1/8" behind the hook eye then double a piece of 15lb mono (the entire length of the mono when doubled should be the overall length of whatever hook you're using or slightly longer (remember this is only for flies being tied "hook up" in the vise and designed to fish with hook up...). The loop of mono is tied in on top of the hook shank, using the last bit of the doubled mono with the loop facing forward. The rest of the fly is then finished until you have all the materials in place but the thread is not quite finished. As you finish up the thread head lift the loop above the horizontal and do five or six strong turns of thread in front of the loop to stand it up at about a 45 degree angle to the hook shank, still leaning forward - then whip finish and you're done with the tying portion - but still not quite done overall... Your last step, while the fly is still in the vise is to cut the loop exactly in the center with a small pair of nippers. You now have two arms facing forward at that 45 degree angle - but curved in toward each other - spread them apart at a 45 degree angle then straighten each leg by stroking it between the thumb and middle finger with the nail against the outside curve of the mono (the exact same way you'd use your fingernail and thumb to put a curve into a ribbon...). When done each arm is straight and still angled 45 degrees from the horizontal and 45 degrees apart from the other arm. The very last step is a tiny drop of thin super glue (I use Krazy Glue) on the thread instead of any head cement. The super glue locks everything into place - particularly your weedguard... and you won't find any other type of guard that works as well - particularly on grass bottomed areas......"


Thanks- Great info here, again. anyone have a pic of a fly with this type of weed guard? I want to make sure that I'm picturing this correctly.


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## LowTideFly (Apr 8, 2016)

Str8-Six said:


> @lemaymiami which of these flies is your favorite for tailing ocean side fish in Biscayne Bay? I had about 5 shots yesterday and no takers. Average fish was about 5lbs and was in about a foot of water.


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## MRichardson (May 27, 2010)

Boy, I can relate to this one:

"In short, you lay out your cast staying at least ten feet from your target - very carefully noting the exact spot it landed... then simply don't move it at all... You're gambling that the fish will move to your fly (that's why it's critical to know exactly where it landed, but bones don't move in a straight line much of the time....). If the fish doesn't go where you need it to go then pick up the fly and try again... but if that fish gets within a foot or so of where your bug is sitting simply give it a very short (less than four inches) twitch so that it hops up off the bottom then settles back down. If mr. spooky has seen it you're in business, period... "

Some days they seem determined to NOT go where you think they might. But it is always better than running them off by spooking them.


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## Zaraspook (Aug 3, 2017)

You are the man Bob. I don’t know if you remember me but I used to live and fish in Stuart 20-25 years ago. I grew up in Miami and started fishing for bones in the mid 70’s. Your knowledge of bonefish flys is exceptional and nobody ties them better. Fishing with you is on my bucket list.


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