Danger Muffin Crab

Doug McKnight has tied a number of staple saltwater fly patterns, including the Crimp, Da Tingum, and the Homeslice. Add the Danger Muffin to the list, as it has taken the permit fishing community by storm and become one of our Top Recommended Permit Flies.

The Danger Muffin's body is super innovative, using a combination of deer hair and rabbit fur. The result is a lifelike, mottled body that closely resembles the carapace of a well-camouflaged crab. By using a combination of chenille and synthetic crab claws, this fly maintains an incredibly realistic profile—especially when wet. Similar to the Flats Crab, the fly is tied to imitate a crab moving side-to-side when stripped. If you're heading to The Bahamas, Yucatan, or Belize, this pattern should be a primary component of your saltwater arsenal. Different variants are available to ensure you can match the local substrate, whether fishing over turtle grass, mottled bottom, or sandy flats.

From the tyer:

“Going back more than 10 years ago, I got invited to Guanaja, Honduras for a weeklong DIY saltwater trip and sat down to tie some permit flies for the trip. I had talked with a bunch of people that had been down there to fish and researched all kinds of crab photos. With all the standard stuff I began to play around with a more imitative Reef Crab imitation.

Looking for a more mixable alternative to wool, I tried using rabbit instead—which ended up working nicely. By adding in some deer hair, we got a fantastic, mottled effect. Over the past few years, we have had this fly do very well everywhere: the Bahamas, Belize, Mexico, and even the Florida Keys. When Pat Cohen came out with the laser-cut claws, I played around with a few and thought they looked like a great fit. After fishing with them, I am convinced they work even better.”

- Signature Tyer Doug McKnight