The Needle Shrimp

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Fly Tying

Salmon Fly Tying Step by Step

by John Gray

The Needle Fly was devised primarily as a sea trout lure, an alternative to the tube fly and Waddington for late night sea trout fishing. However, even in its simplest form, it has proved effective also for salmon. The needle can, of course, be dressed in any way which fashion or fancy may dictate. The photographs below illustrate the dressing of a simple shrimp pattern, consisting of little more than a hackle and some badger hair, to produce the Needle Shrimp. Colours can be varied and other hair, such as bucktail or squirrel, may be substituted for the badger.

How to tie the Needle Shrimp

Materials

A needle (I have used a size 9 long darner)
Red and black tying thread size 8/0 or 6/0
Natural badger hair
Four strands of Crystal hair
Cock hackle dyed yellow

Click on the images below to enlarge

Step 1
Tie a "stop" about 2mm long by winding black tying thread on to the needle about one centimetre from the needle point.

Step 2
Lay a short bed of tying thread at the head of the needle.

Step 3
Tie in a loop of heavy nylon monofilament. I have used thirty pound B.S.

Step 4
Trim the ends of the nylon monofilament, cover with thread and apply a drop of varnish.

Step 5
Tie in a bunch of hair to reach slightly beyond the tip of the needle.

Step 6
Trim the butt ends of the hair and tie in securely.

Step 7
Tie in a hackle.

Step 8
Wind three or four turns of hackle.

Step 9
Trim the hackle and wind a few turns of thread through the wound hackle to secure it.

Step 10
Pull the hackle back to the desired angle and finish the head with two coats of varnish.

Step 11
The finished Needle Shrimp.

Step 12
The Needle Shrimp attached to a big mouth double hook with a sleeve of PVC over the shank to secure the needle point.