Tying the Toad

Tying Instructions

 

Step 1: For tarpon, place a short-shanked hook in the vise. Vary hook/fly size for other species. Tie in one or two quality marabou feathers just before the bend in the hook. Wrap the marabou shaft five or six times with thread to raise the tail and prevent fouling.

 

 

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Step 2: Palmer a zonker strip of contrasting color two or three times just forward of the marabou tail, finishing it off with several wraps of thread and head cement.

 

 

 

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Step 3: Tie in segments of floating poly yarn to form a standard crab-style body.

 

 

 

 

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Step 4: Trim the yarn body to shape with scissors. Add black monofilament eyes for floating/subsurface patterns or lead eyes for sinking patterns.

 

 

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Step 5: Coat head and body wraps with head cement. Add a weed guard of 16-pound mason hard mono (optional).

 

 

 

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Materials

Hook: Angler's choice. Generally a 1/0, 2/0 or 3/0 for tarpon and offshore, smaller for redfish, snook and bonefish Tail: One or two marabou quills Collar: Thin-cut zonker rabbit strip Thread: Roman Moser Power Silk, 10/0. Body: Floating poly yarn Eyes: Mono nymph eyes, black Head cement: Hard As Hull or five-minute epoxy