Post by iand on Apr 12, 2006 14:28:43 GMT -5
Thought I'd join in the fun, and attempt to restore the fresh/salt balance somewhat by showing a sequence for a shrimp fly I've used with some success in N. Wales.
It's very easy to tie, with just one stage of the process a bit time consuming.
Take suitable hook (the one I am using is a Mustad 496B crab hook, size 2/0, but there are other patterns/brands available)
and bend the eye section as shown using a pair of pliers.
Some batches can be slightly brittle, and prone to breakage. If so, heat the eye of the hook with a lighter and set aside to cool. It should then be much softer, but not be significantly weakened.
Start tying thread - in this case mid olive Uni-Thread 6/0 - about a sixteenth of an inch down from the first bend of the hook and run touching turns down for about quarter of an inch.
Tie in feelers as shown. I use a mixture of bucktail and crystal flash or similar - colours to suit overall hue of fly. In this case green.
Cut off butt ends of feelers and tie in eyes at about same point as the thread was originally started, using a figure of eight binding.
Eyes are usual glass bead/molten nylon mono form.
I suppose bead chain eyes could be used, but as this fly is usually fished over fairly shallow, pretty 'graunchy' ground, I tend not to add unnecessary weight, as it leads to too many lost flies.
Run thread in touching turns down to bend as shown, cutting off butt ends of feelers first and tying them in on the way.
Tie in rib of coloured wire and 'hackle' which in this case is Veniard's crystal mix - large olive.
Take thread back to eye and tie in body material. This is mainly to add bulk/shape so material is not too important. I've used some olive green antron type material which I think was intended for the carpet trade. I picked up a few hanks of mixed colours at a mill outlet a few years ago and it's been marvellous stuff.
Leave thread out of the way in front of the eye, and build up body to a vaguely 'shrimpy' outline finishing off back at the head, where the body wool is tied in and cut off.
At this point I normally apply a few drops of Anglers Glue or whatever to the top of the eyes, which holds everything securely together.
Wind 'hackle' in open turns up to eye, and lock in with a couple of turns of thread, then follow up with contra-wound ribbing wire. Tie both materials in and trim off waste ends.
I usually then trim the upper side of the back to leave just the lower hackle fibres as legs.
Whip finish at the head and cut off the tying thread.
Now comes the fun part.
Take one plastic drinking straw of the 'bendy' corrugated type and snip off as shown.
Colour of straw shosen to match as closely as possible the desired finished colour of fly. If you shop around there are usually plenty to choose from at supermarkets etc.
I often colour something that has a basic ground colour approximating to what I'm after with a waterproof marker, but won't pretend this is an ideal solution. The colour soon wears off, as the straws aren't usually made of a material with a decent surface to adhere to.
Not too worried about this though. Fishing the areas I do I reckon that being expendable is a necessity for a fly of this type.
Take the shortened section of straw and open up the bottom along the longer axis.
Think of opening a lobster (don't take the comparison too far though. The tastes aren't even remotely similar).
Using a pair of sharp pointed, and preferably curved, nail scissors trim the straw to a shape something like that shown in the sketch. It's far from easy to get it anything like symetrical, but to be honest it doesn't really show on the finished article.
Once you're happy with the carapace take your bobbin holder, this time loaded with a spool of the clear nylon mono thread usually sold as curtain thread or invisible mending thread, and start this off behind the eye. I usually figure of eight it and apply a drop of glue at this stage just to make sure.
Leave the thread dangling while you position the carapace, then once it is sitting snugly, with the eyes protruding from the cut V-notches, tie it in around the eyes. Not too many turns of thread, and whip finish and cut off - more glue.
Re-position the hook in the vice (or at least I do for convenience) and start your nylon mono off again at the requisite point on the bend.
Stretch and position the carapace with your left hand holding it firmly to the hook, and tie in. Another whip finish, yet more glue, and basically that's it.
You can tie whatever colour variations take your fancy, but a reddish brown or a greeny colour work fine.
I've been asked to tie a few red and purple ones for a friend who intends to give them a whirl in fresh water. Be interesting to see how they go.
I use them for bass in the rocks, and although I prefer clousers etc for beaches these work OK in the right areas.
Don't know where the pattern originated - I certainly can't take any credit for it - but it's been around a long while now, although it gets very little mention.
It's very easy to tie, with just one stage of the process a bit time consuming.
Take suitable hook (the one I am using is a Mustad 496B crab hook, size 2/0, but there are other patterns/brands available)
and bend the eye section as shown using a pair of pliers.
Some batches can be slightly brittle, and prone to breakage. If so, heat the eye of the hook with a lighter and set aside to cool. It should then be much softer, but not be significantly weakened.
Start tying thread - in this case mid olive Uni-Thread 6/0 - about a sixteenth of an inch down from the first bend of the hook and run touching turns down for about quarter of an inch.
Tie in feelers as shown. I use a mixture of bucktail and crystal flash or similar - colours to suit overall hue of fly. In this case green.
Cut off butt ends of feelers and tie in eyes at about same point as the thread was originally started, using a figure of eight binding.
Eyes are usual glass bead/molten nylon mono form.
I suppose bead chain eyes could be used, but as this fly is usually fished over fairly shallow, pretty 'graunchy' ground, I tend not to add unnecessary weight, as it leads to too many lost flies.
Run thread in touching turns down to bend as shown, cutting off butt ends of feelers first and tying them in on the way.
Tie in rib of coloured wire and 'hackle' which in this case is Veniard's crystal mix - large olive.
Take thread back to eye and tie in body material. This is mainly to add bulk/shape so material is not too important. I've used some olive green antron type material which I think was intended for the carpet trade. I picked up a few hanks of mixed colours at a mill outlet a few years ago and it's been marvellous stuff.
Leave thread out of the way in front of the eye, and build up body to a vaguely 'shrimpy' outline finishing off back at the head, where the body wool is tied in and cut off.
At this point I normally apply a few drops of Anglers Glue or whatever to the top of the eyes, which holds everything securely together.
Wind 'hackle' in open turns up to eye, and lock in with a couple of turns of thread, then follow up with contra-wound ribbing wire. Tie both materials in and trim off waste ends.
I usually then trim the upper side of the back to leave just the lower hackle fibres as legs.
Whip finish at the head and cut off the tying thread.
Now comes the fun part.
Take one plastic drinking straw of the 'bendy' corrugated type and snip off as shown.
Colour of straw shosen to match as closely as possible the desired finished colour of fly. If you shop around there are usually plenty to choose from at supermarkets etc.
I often colour something that has a basic ground colour approximating to what I'm after with a waterproof marker, but won't pretend this is an ideal solution. The colour soon wears off, as the straws aren't usually made of a material with a decent surface to adhere to.
Not too worried about this though. Fishing the areas I do I reckon that being expendable is a necessity for a fly of this type.
Take the shortened section of straw and open up the bottom along the longer axis.
Think of opening a lobster (don't take the comparison too far though. The tastes aren't even remotely similar).
Using a pair of sharp pointed, and preferably curved, nail scissors trim the straw to a shape something like that shown in the sketch. It's far from easy to get it anything like symetrical, but to be honest it doesn't really show on the finished article.
Once you're happy with the carapace take your bobbin holder, this time loaded with a spool of the clear nylon mono thread usually sold as curtain thread or invisible mending thread, and start this off behind the eye. I usually figure of eight it and apply a drop of glue at this stage just to make sure.
Leave the thread dangling while you position the carapace, then once it is sitting snugly, with the eyes protruding from the cut V-notches, tie it in around the eyes. Not too many turns of thread, and whip finish and cut off - more glue.
Re-position the hook in the vice (or at least I do for convenience) and start your nylon mono off again at the requisite point on the bend.
Stretch and position the carapace with your left hand holding it firmly to the hook, and tie in. Another whip finish, yet more glue, and basically that's it.
You can tie whatever colour variations take your fancy, but a reddish brown or a greeny colour work fine.
I've been asked to tie a few red and purple ones for a friend who intends to give them a whirl in fresh water. Be interesting to see how they go.
I use them for bass in the rocks, and although I prefer clousers etc for beaches these work OK in the right areas.
Don't know where the pattern originated - I certainly can't take any credit for it - but it's been around a long while now, although it gets very little mention.
