Crazy Charlie
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The Crazy Charlie is a bonefish fly for saltwater
fly fishing Fly fishing is an angling method that uses a light-weight lure—called an artificial fly—to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. The light weight requires casting techniques significantly diffe ...
developed on
Andros Island Andros Island is an archipelago within the Bahamas, the largest of the Bahamian Islands. Politically considered a single island, Andros in total has an area greater than all the other 700 Bahamian islands combined. The land area of Andros consis ...
in 1977 in the
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
by local bonefish guide Charlie Smith and popularized by San Francisco angler Bob Nauheim. They fly was developed to imitate glass minnows (young of anchovies, genus ''
Anchoa ''Anchoa'' is a genus of ray-finned fishes in the family Engraulidae. It currently consists of 35 species. Species There are currently 35 recognized species in this genus: * '' Anchoa analis'' ( R. R. Miller, 1945) (Longfin Pacific anchovy) * ' ...
''), a common forage for
bonefish The bonefish (''Albula vulpes'') is the type species of the bonefish family (Albulidae), the only family in order Albuliformes. History Bonefish were once believed to be a single species with a global distribution, however 9 different species ...
on the nearshore flats of south Florida and Caribbean islands. The Crazy Charlie has become a staple fly for bonefish and permit anglers around the globe.


Origin

Charlie Smith was a renowned Bahamian bonefish guide operating Charlie's Haven resort on Behring Point,
Andros Island Andros Island is an archipelago within the Bahamas, the largest of the Bahamian Islands. Politically considered a single island, Andros in total has an area greater than all the other 700 Bahamian islands combined. The land area of Andros consis ...
in the early 1970s. The resort catered to celebrity and well heeled anglers seeking Bonefish on the flats of Andros, Island. Although stories vary as to the actual creation of the Crazy Charlie, credit is given to Bob Nauheim, founder of Fishing International, a global sport fishing travel agency based in
Santa Rosa, California Santa Rosa (Spanish language, Spanish for "Rose of Lima, Saint Rose") is a city and the county seat of Sonoma County, California, Sonoma County, in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area ...
. Nauheim had fished with Charlie Smith on a number of occasions when during a 1977 trip, he crafted the first Crazy Charlie bonefish flies to imitate small glass minnows by adding bead chain eyes. The original patterns proved successful on Andros Island bonefish so Nauheim and Charlie Smith christened the original flies "Nasty Charlie's". When Charlie Smith saw Nauheim's flies for the first time, he is said to have remarked: "dat fly is nasty mon", thus the original name. Other accounts credit Charlie Smith with the original creation which was then shared with Nauheim. Nauheim took the pattern home to Santa Rosa and showed them to Leigh Perkins, the owner of
Orvis Orvis is an American family-owned retail and mail-order business specializing in fly fishing, hunting and sporting goods. Founded in Manchester, Vermont, in 1856 by Charles F. Orvis to sell fishing tackle, it is the oldest mail-order retailer in ...
outfitters. Perkins liked the pattern and added it to the Orvis catalog and began popularizing it for bonefish and permit. Perkins did not like the name "Nasty Charlie" so the name was changed to Crazy Charlie with Charlie Smith's permission. The pattern rapidly became one of the most popular flies for bonefish, permit and other saltwater flats species as well.


Materials

The classic Crazy Charlie is tied on a standard, short shank stainless steel saltwater fly hook in sizes eight through two. The TMC 811S saltwater hook is typical. The Crazy Charlie was the first bonefish fly to incorporate bead chain eyes for weight and allow the fly to ride hook point up. Lead or tungsten dumb bell eyes can be used for greater weight. The body consists of pearlescent flash overlaid with clear vinyl or monofilament ribbing. A wing of white calf tail is tied in at the hook eye and topped with a few strands of flash.


Variations

The original Crazy Charlie quickly evolved into a generalized fly style and fly tiers created many variations using different materials for the body, wing and flash components as well as different color combinations. The Crazy Charlie fly style is easily adapted to shrimp and crab imitations. The wing can be crafted from buck tail, fur, feathers or synthetics. The body can be crafted with dubbing, chenille and varieties of synthetics including epoxies for durability. Tails using furs, feathers, buck tail or synthetics can be added. A version known as the "Blind Charlie" is tied without the bead chain eyes.


Gallery


See also

* Bonefish fly patterns


Notes

{{fisheries and fishing Saltwater patterns