Step by Step dressing of an Irish Shrimp needle tube fly
by John Gray
The Erie Shrimp
Irish Shrimp Flies, such as Curry's Red, Bann
Special, Faughan Shrimp, Foxford Shrimp and Claret Shrimp, have
traditionally been dressed on single, double or treble hooks. In
recent years, the Esmond Drury style of treble hook has become
popular for the Irish Shrimp style of dressing, and very effective
they are too. Irish Shrimps may be dressed, though, on any style of
hook or on the increasing variety of fly tying tubes now available
to the salmon fly tyer. The pattern illustrated below was devised
and sent to me by an American friend Bob Schoeller, who has used it
to good effect for the steelhead of Lake Erie and its tributary
streams. See:
Steelhead Needle Tube Flies . I have named the fly the Erie
Shrimp. In an effort to create an Irish Shrimp profile similar
to flies dressed on double or treble hooks, I selected a slim
stainless steel
needle tube (developed and manufactured in Scotland by
Grays of Kilsyth) with an outside diameter of only 1.5mm and a
length of 15 mm.
See also
Tube Flies
Tying the Erie Shrimp
Materials
Tube: 15 mm needle tube,
daimeter 1.5mm
Tail: golden pheasant breast feather (Krystal Flash in tail
optional)
Body: rear, yellow floss - front, black floss or thread -
silver rib over both
Hackle: middle, yellow cock - front, brown or Greenwell's
cock hackle
Wing: small jungle cock
nails
Step 1: Secure needle tube in
tube
fly vice and lay a
bed of black thread
Step 2: Tie in a golden pheasant breast feather,
wind two or three turns and secure. A few strands of flash may be
added.
Step 3: Tie in fine oval silver rib and wind over
yellow floss rear body
Step 4: Wind two or three turns of yellow cock
hackle, form front half of body with black thread or floss, wind
silver rib
Step 5: Add two small jungle cock feathers on top
Step 6: Wind two or three turns of brown or
Greenwell's cock hackle
Step 7: Form small neat head and finish with two
coats of Cellire No. 1 varnish, add a link of clear PVC or silicone tubing
and a hook of choice
Another Irish Shrimp Needle Tube Fly
The Bann Special Tube Fly
For more information on Grays Needle Tubes, see
Trout
and Salmon Flies |
