The toad

The “Toad” pattern was originally developed by Florida key’s Guide Harry Spears as a bonefish fly. Since then, the pattern has evolved in materials, size and all around species applications. Today’s pattern owes much to Key’s guide Tim Hoover. The “Toad” is an excellent crustacean imitation and can be tied with many color combinations to suit many water conditions, targeted species and for matching local critters. I believe the pattern does a fairly good job of imitating small squid, shrimp and immature lobster found off the Cape Ann coast. The fly is best fished with floating or slow sink intermediate fly lines. The retrieve is slow with short pops and fished just below the surface. I have also found the pattern to work well dead drifted in river current. I like to call the Toad, a “twitch fly”. The fly works wonders when no other fly gets action and especially when stripers are slurping on the surface; it’s a cure for striper “lock-jaw”!
Materials and Recipe
Hook: TMC 600SP, (or other similar hook) 1/0 – 4/0
Thread: 6/0 monofilament
Tail: 3 marabou quills
Tail Flash: Flashabou-pearl or other color to accent marabou
Collar: Thin-cut cross cut rabbit zonker strip
Body: Floating Poly-Yarn
Eyes: Large plastic nymph eyes-black or painted lead eyes, size small
Glue: Crazy glue or Zap-a-Gap
Fly Length: 4 inches (the size can be varied larger or smaller depending on your target match)

Step 1
The pattern is tied starting just before the hook bend. Take several wraps of 6/0 monofilament and fix to the hook shank with crazy glue. This is an important step to insure that the thick marabou quills do not twist or turn on the hook shank. Start the fly by tying in a single blood quill at the top of the hook above the bend. Take several wraps of mono with slight tightening on each turn. Tie in two quills, one on each side of the hook similarly as the first quill. Optional: Tie in two or three strands of pearl flashabou or crystal flash on each side of the tail. Finish with a few wraps and add a small drop of glue. The quill lengths should be about 3 inches in length (shorter lengths if you desire a smaller overall fly).

Step 2

Next, Palmer a rabbit zonker strip (1-1/2” in length) of contrasting color two or three times just in front of the tail marabou. Finish with several wraps of mono and a small drop of glue.

Step 3

Starting in front of the collar, tie 5 or 6 segments of floating poly yarn, each about an inch long, using a “bow tie” wrapping technique to form a crustacean like body. Work forward to about 3/16 of an inch behind the hook eye. Trim the yarn to shape with a pair of scissors. The shape should be tapered slightly at the front and to back end near the collar. Using a small fine toothed comb, splay out the fibers until a full body shape results.

Step 4

Finally, tie in the small lead eyes just behind the hook eye, taking several ever tightening wraps around each side of the eyes and secure with a drop of glue. Substitute large, black plastic nymph eyes for a non-sinking version. Whip finish or knot and add a final drop of glue. That’s It!



Captain Al Montello's RV Shad fly was designed to imitate a variety of small shrimp and krill that are known to be an important part of the American Shad’s food source.
The north Atlantic krill can be brightly colored with reds and greens and can readily color adapt. The adult krill range in size up to 6cm (2"). When the shad enter the Merrimac river system to spawn, they are most likely not in "feeding mode" but do strike instinctively on this fly pattern.

Materials and Recipe
Hook: Eagle Claw 3202UK #4 Aberdeen Light Wire-Gold
Thread: 8/0 waxed to match head yarn color
Wing: White- goat, fine bucktail tips or calf tail
Head: Red or chartreuse Glo-Bug yarn
Throat: Red soft hackle
Glue: Head cement

Step 1
The pattern is tied as standard streamer, starting ¼” behind of the hook eye. Make several wraps of thread on hook and form a thread bump. The small thread bump allows the fine hair to lie up over the hook shank. Coat with head cement and let dry. Tie in a small clump(~1” long by 1/32” round) of fine white bucktail just in front of the thread bump. Wrap thread loosely for several wraps before tightening up.

Step 2

Next, tie in a small clump of red soft hackle to form a throat. The hackle should be ~ 3/8” long and tied in just in front of the thread bump, same as the bucktail. Complete the pattern by tying in a small clump of chartreuse glo-bug yarn. The yarn clump is ~ ¼” long and about a ¼” wide, or about the width of your small finger nail.
Take several wraps and finish. Dab in a bit of head cement and you’re done.