By Richard Farino. Photos by Kary Via

Kary Via’s Sweet Meat Crab
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ike fans of all things barbecue, redfish have discerning taste. Folks from the Carolinas in particular happen to have varied opinions of what real barbecue is, from Eastern Carolina to Lexington all the way down to South Carolina, and it can be hard to find common ground. If there’s one thing that everyone can agree on, catching redfish in the grass during the summer is some of the most fun and enjoyable fishing.
Kary Via has spent years chasing these orange-tinted bulldozers in the shallows of coastal North Carolina’s marshes, and has developed a pattern that replicates the large fiddler crabs that live in these areas.
Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 #1/0.
Thread: Brown Flat Waxed Nylon
Eyes: Medium lead eye
Tail: Brown barred magnum rabbit strip, marabou to cover rear wraps
Claws: Four grizzly hackles, splayed
Legs: Pumpkin/Green Sili Legs
Body: Medium root beer palmering chenille
Weed Guard: 40-p0und hard mono

Step Three: Tie Bunny strip with hide facing upwards – fly will ride hook point up. Tie in a pair of rubber legs on each side of bunny strip.

Step Seven: Add 40-pound hard mono weed guard by folding in half and tying in from bottom of fly. Make sure to separate weed guards and cross wrap to secure. Apply liberal coating of your favorite head cement.