[Keith White]

"Asking about shrimp etc for LRF, I replied to Mark Sleep with the following...."

The original thread is in the LRF/HRF section.

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I have found most shrimp imitations too large to truly imitate ours.

However: You've seen the effect the tiny little craws have.

I personally believe the shrimp to be a number 1 source of food for nearly all the LRF/HRF targets here Mark.

I know from personal experience that Spey flies are 'deadly' and they are effectively, shrimp and prawn patterns.

I'm about to send a great fly tier a challenge. I want some prawn tied jigs. We need size 6, 4 and 2 I reckon on 1 and 2g heads.

LRF encompasses the use of dressed jigs and this is where the skills of the fly tier cross over.

On Bombarda or the 6g Japanese floats and casting eggs I've asked Mick to order, Mr Elliot has already sent me some beautiful works of art.
Just waiting to do the review and testing at a time when we can maximise species. Easter onwards I reckon. He ties the most fantastic stuff for great prices and I reckon we could be opening up another area of expansion here for forward thinking tiers.

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Who's up for that challenge ?

 

[Alex Jordan]

I have some "normal" shrimp flies and a hell of a lot of bonefish shrimp patterns - got to be worth a try!

 

[Dave Irving]

Keith,
How about an inch and a bit long toughen (but still flexible) with a varible weight system. AKA

The Prawnstar Jnr
Oh and if you twitch it, the tail flicks-great trigger

 

[David Sharples]

I like the sound of this. Are you able to post a picture of your local shrimp so I can colour match? Preferably in water but out of water will be OK.

Also, can you describe the action you want to achieve, i.e. I imagine you retrieve them with a flick and pause, on the pause what position does the shrimp adopt, does it fall towards the bottom head down, tail down or horizontal?

The weight placement in the fly will be critical to achieve the swimming and hang posture in the water. I imagine the fish will key in to approximate shape, size and behaviour rather than a close copy that doesn't behave correctly.

Do you get a lot of spawning shrimp with the orange egg sac? In FW trout and grayling will select for gamarus with the orange spot and it's good to incorporate this feature..

I won't be able to tie them over night but am keen to give this a try!

 

[Mark Sleep]

Hi David. I am sure someone else could provide greater detail, but the bulk of smaller shrimp I see are very pale sandy colour with darker brown stripes running across the body. The BIG ones I have seen have been a similar, but a LOT darker. At night especially, the eyes really glow a white/yellow colour, to the point that when you look in the water with a light, the body goes almost transparent, and the eyes are really reflective. They flick round with long pauses, cannot see body posture though. They seem to be able to control whether on the pause they sink or suspend as well.

If I go out tonight, I will try and get closer looks at their body positions. Its hard to tell as they are often hugging structure/weed very tightly.

 

[David Sharples]

Nice observations. I'll try Google up some pictures as well but i have some ideas to be getting on with.

I'm imaginging them size being 1.5-2" long, colours varying between root beer and a light tan with stripes and possibly some irridescence inside that I can mimic with pearl mylar.

Great challenge but am supposed to be tying bonefish and permit flies! Will tie a few and post the results.

 

[Mark Sleep]

This is quite a good shot

 

[David Sharples]

OK Cool!

Not too tricky. Just need to work out what 2g of lead looks like when I tie the bugger up ;-)

 

[Keith White]

Just caught up here...

Wicked guys. This is going the right way. Innovative guys pushing things well forward.

Thanks for the interest.

 

[David Sharples]

I tied up MK 1 tonight, think it looks good but don't reckon it will fish well. The lead balancing in it isn't correct. Also to get enough weight into it means that there's no space to make it softer by dubbing the outside under the shell so it will feel very hard to fish taking it.

It could be that a 2" transparent or brown fleck stickbait plastic on a jighead will accomplish the same thing more easily?

 

[Tim Griffin]

Looks pretty good for a 1st effort to me!

 

[Dave Irving]

Keith,
How about these, an expoy pattern that would be better tied with the UV cureable stuff (slightly softer). The materials used mean even unweighted it can be cast on a light spin set up (LRF)
By playing with the relative lengths of the tail and front end you can adjust how this pattern sinks. Great fly, and durable.

Bob Popovics UltraShrimp

 

[Alex Jordan]

Dave S - that is really impressive!!!
Dave I - that is really impressive!!!

hehe

 

[Keith White]

I tied up MK 1 tonight, think it looks good but don't reckon it will fish well. The lead balancing in it isn't correct. Also to get enough weight into it means that there's no space to make it softer by dubbing the outside under the shell so it will feel very hard to fish taking it.

It could be that a 2" transparent or brown fleck stickbait plastic on a jighead will accomplish the same thing more easily?

Yes, looks good.

How small can we go and keep realism ?

As to your last question .....

I don't think they would fish 'as well'.

these fish are getting a serious look at the jig and/or lure in cold, clear water.
Going in with more realistic lures could up the ante yet again.
I'd like to find out.

 

[David Sharples]

I reckon we could go to a size 8 2x long shank.

I prefer the look of the ultra shrimp Dave posted and I reckon I can tie that so it fishes hook point upwards. It will also be see through with the brown stripes.

Will continue into MK 2!

 

[David Sharples]

Keith,
How about these, an expoy pattern that would be better tied with the UV cureable stuff (slightly softer). The materials used mean even unweighted it can be cast on a light spin set up (LRF)
By playing with the relative lengths of the tail and front end you can adjust how this pattern sinks. Great fly, and durable.

Bob Popovics UltraShrimp

Dave what is this UV curable stuff you speak of? Bug Bond?

The other option is that wader seal stuff but that has a bad chemical odour when it dries.

Has anyone tried tying with Aquaseal?

 

[Mark Sleep]

Cracking stuff. Looking forward to seeing some final results, cannot wait try this sort of thing out

 

[Dave Irving]

Dave,
Tried Aquasure in the past, a nightmare to work with-far worse than expoy. I was trying to remember the name Bug Bond, but couldn't. Someone on here mentioned it was slightly flexible even when cured. Which would be better, as I know from experience with Redfish, the fish spot the hardness and spit the pattern very quickly. But tied and trimmed alittle more than the one in the pic above, the Ultra Shrimp is a great clear water fly. Works a treat for bass as well.

 

[DavidEdwards]

all on size 6 Tiemco 811s..... with Bug-Bond (and yes it is flexible when cured...)

these were my first attempt at shrimps for a fly swap and I believe someone even caught a pollack on one!

 

[kevin white]

all on size 6 Tiemco 811s..... with Bug-Bond (and yes it is flexible when cured...)

these were my first attempt at shrimps for a fly swap and I believe someone even caught a pollack on one!

just add garlic butter mate, very tasty

kev