check out the Flyzone.net for expert guidance on casting and being prepared on the flats…
I have been getting a lot of requests from fly tiers around the world asking about my DIY Silicone Pinche Claws. I developed these Pinche claws in conjunction with the great Bauer Crab design which ended up becoming my Qs Pinche Crab. It has been a popular pattern in Belize for permit. The great, Will Bauer showed me how to tie his amazing pattern at the San Mateo Outdoor show back in the nineties, it was and still is a stable, deadly fly pattern used in Belize where Will pioneered the permit fishery back in the late eighties. The reason to the addition and development of the Pinche Claw is that silicone is buoyant and will float. These Pinche claws will take on a defensive posture when the crab, shrimp, crayfish or baby lobster lands on the bottom. They also will land in the right orientation when they fall. Very important when stalking permit. I think it makes a positive addition to any crab pattern and really works well. Always swim and test your flies before fishing them, remember everyone is a snowflake.
I hope this all makes sense, I threw it together rather quickly so if there are any questions, please fire away. I try to keep it as simple as possible so we can push the crab evolution forward…LOL
Start with some wax paper on a board, You will need scissors, CLEAR silicone, EP fibers, bodkiin, water proof marking pens, a ruler and lighter.
measure a length of EP fibers about 1/4 inch in width, leave enough length so you can make a knot, burn and edge so you can put through loop easier, then knot piece together
Color with sharpie, use your bodkin to add and smooth clear silicone through fibers, on both sides, pull in loose fibers with tip of bodkin then set to dry.
You can make DIY eyes by burning mono, then marking them with sharpies and adding Tuffleye or epoxy to build up eyes to size. Any clear silicone will work. The sketch will show you how I cut the claw sahpes once they dry, if you want your arms to curve then hold them in that position and add some five minute epoxy, tuffleye, or zap quick set glue to hold shape. Good luck and have fun…
-Al Q
Final cut Pinche claws ready to be added to your favorite pattern.
Qs Pinche Claws slightly bent inward
Qs Pinche Claws bent inward
Qs Strong Arm Pinche Crab
Qs articulated Crayfish with Pinche Claws
Qs crayfish
Straight Pinche Claws
Check out the Barbless Podcast interview my buddy Conway Bowman did from San Diego that aired last week!
The Barbless Podcast is headquartered out of Chico CA.
photo by Al Quattrocchi
Hey gang: Here’s a couple of DIY fly boxes that are easy to make, very versatile and fit nicely into a shirt pocket. You can buy the 1/4 inch foam sheets at Michaels Art Supply stores. The foam can be cut to fit and easily removed. All the flies washed and left to dry, then reinserted. I have been doing these for years. Using an old eye glass case or a cheap plastic box works great. That’s the Q tip of the day…
Happy New Year.
-Al Q
Johnny Morris with local partners Rev. Robert Lockhart and Lady Rochelle Lockhart.
Please join us on Wednesday, December 11th at
9:30 a.m. at the California National Resources Agency Building’s Auditorium in Sacramento for the Department of Fish & Wildlife commission meeting agenda item #9 regarding the Delta fisheries. The Auditorium is located at 1416 9th Street.
“If your in the Sacramento area, they need around 500 people to show up to stop this legislation” – Al Q
This is our last chance to advocate and fight to save our Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass in the Bay, Delta and rivers in Northern California.
Please share this flyer with your friends and post it on social media in order to get the word out.
“The Qs Betta-Bendback pattern is three flies in one, deceiver, bendback and hi-tie! it’s weedless, swims hook up when stripped fast and will stick em in the top lip, i would keep a few in your box, you never know when they will come in handy….photo by Al Q
copyright 2019 Artwork by Al Quattrocchi
Here’s a little sketch describing the process and thinking behind this pattern.
I will be doing a step by step soon, and a video showing this fly in action, so stay tuned… Al Q
Our friend Mark from Okuma getting it done on the fly rod! “Thanks coaches…got the one I was looking for!” – Mark Me and my buddy Jim have been working with Mark’s casting and he’s just getting better and better…WTG bro!
Our old friend Doug Spieske with a beautiful northern pike, (not musky) landed on a perch fly. WTG buddy! photo courtesy of Doug Spieske.
Click to make larger!
Well Saturday night turned out to be a fabulous evening at the Patagonia store in Santa Monica, where we premiered the film “Finding Joe Brooks”. It was all to benefit two important non-profit organizations making a difference in our fly fishing community, The Joe Brooks Foundation and CastHope, San Diego Chapter. We began at 5pm with a bad-ass tailgate party, including Traeger’s barbecued pork loin sliders, and sides provided by Maple Block, in Culver City which included potato salad, cole slaw, and mac n cheese. Everyone who purchased a their $20 ticket also received a raffle ticket and two drink tickets with choices of a bourbon tasting, soft drinks or IPA beer. We had musical guests, Par Avion, serving up some hip surf music for ambience. Our raffle item table was full of prizes ranging from a loaded Traeger Tailgater wood burning barbecue, a Yeti 45 to $100 dollar gift certificates from AFTCO. Some of our vendors present displaying information and products were Alex Ramirez with Sage/Redington, Dwight Hwang of Fishing with Gyotaku, The Sierra Pacific Club tying Joe Brooks Blondes, Cast Hope and the Fishermens Spot. The party moved across the street at 7pm where we held the first half of the raffle, did introductions, played a short of Dwights Gyotaku printmaking process and began viewing the film. It was a very powerful film about how one man changed fly fishing forever, a film every fly fisherman should see. After the film the raffle continued with some of the larger prizes like the Traeger, Yeti, Patagonia Tenkara package, a Hatch fly reel, an original Gyotaku and much more. Everyone mingled around afterwards, grabbed a cup of Joe and some chocolate chip cookies for the road and all left with big smiles on their faces…
Kudos to Judson, store manager and his fantastic staff for making the evening look effortless, it was a lot of work and much appreciated…
Special thanks to all who participated behind the scenes, all our local fly clubs for supporting this, and mking this evening very special to me and everyone who attended.
Raffle items by:
#patagonia_flyfish
#traegergrills
#yeti
#hatchoutdoors
#fishingforgyotaku
#scientificanglers
theflyzone.net
#umpquafeathermerchants
#hatchoutdoors
#aftco
#rhinonets
#simms
until our next adventure together…
cheers
-Al Q
flies, sand & surf 