The "Ultimate Shrimp" fly pattern is getting sweeter...

[Henry]

Well gang,

A few more weeks of toying around with my new pattern and I think I've got it down pat now --127-3- . I've tied them from size 8 up to size 1 and the bigger they get, the more realistic they look. I'm even starting to think that no self-respecting Permit would consider passing one of these up (#$119).

I've attached a couple 'artsy' pics for you to see. The fancy stuff is just my temporary way of copyprotecting the images :brow .

I've got lots of "hi-res" pics available should some of you want to get in close to see the details.

Cheers (#$121)

[Henry]

These tan shrimp are tied on #6 Mustad SS 34007 hooks.

[Yozuri-Man]

:eek:
Those are the most realistic things ever! Great pattern.

[Jim Miller]

Henry
please send a dozen to me for Beta testing. --123-3
Super pattern! :)

[peter mac]

Henry,
I would eat that!.......Outstanding looking pattern!!
Peter Mac

[Al D'Addario]

Hi Henry,
Really great!!!! Can you post tying instruction with pictures? We would all appreciate that!

Al D'Addario

[Tarpon Chaser]

Wonderful pattern - very lifelike.

I second the request for tying instructions and pics.

Regards
T_C

[flyrdr]

All that's missing is the cocktail sauce.

[Armando]

I would rather eat them myself than fish them, great patterns, did you allready proved them?
How can I get some?

[PAX]

Great looking shrimp

[Armando]

hEY hENRY
I COULDNT RESIST AND YESTERDAY AFTER READING YOUR POST I SAT AT MY TYING TABLE AND MADE THIS ONE IS IT OK?
CHECK IT OUT

[Henry]

Looks great!!! I'd eat it!

Other than by myself, your's is the first Ultimate Shrimp I've seen tied.

Okay, here goes...

- You need to put a bend in the hook center of shank about 15 degrees.

- Use about 1/4th the material you used for the legs...shrimp don't have lots of legs and they're actually quite clear to opaque.

- A little more epoxy on the body and spread the spiral wraps apart a litte more.

Other than that!...I'm tickled pink. Let's see another one!

[Armando]

Oh Thanks
I'll Make Another One And Show You, And Trim The Legs On This One.
Thanks.
Great Pattern Anyway, Lots Of Fun Tying It.

[Henry]

Don't trim the legs! Just fewer of them!...about 1/4 of what you had in your first fly.

Spending all my time at the bench working on the "Fleeing Ultimate Shrimp"...it's a real brain twister...involves another innovation I've not ever seen in fly tying before.

[Armando]

Check this one out, fewer hackle, more epoxy, #1 hook.
Im trying to imitate some of the shrimps you find here in fresh warm water.
As soon as I use them I'll tell you what happened.
I think I'll fish them on a dead drift in the rivers.

[Henry]

Nice job, I'll be really interested to here how it fished and more importantly...if you got any grabs.

[striblue]

These are the best imitations I have seen... great job guys.

[flatwingflinger]

Can't wait to see them in the Orvis Catalog!

[msiler]

Awesome looking fly Henry!

Two questions for you:
1) how are you getting the color "inside" your shrimp?
2) How are you getting the "bigger" thorax portion of the shrimp?
(it looks like there is something inside...thread, yarn etc.)

Thanks,
Matt

[Henry]

Thanks! I make sure that I achieve a fair amound of "build" when tying in the materials making up the thorax ie) eyes, legs, craft fur etc. Before applying the epoxy, on some of my flies, I add a little colour with permanent marker to the thorax to simulate the shrimps gutt parts.

The epoxy is applies in two stages...thorax first till set...then the abdomen. To achieve the thorax size and shape, just apply a good sized blob of epoxy and rotate the fly carefully.

The transparency of the epoxy gives a pleasing realistic effect. I also suppose that in the thorax, there is a certain amount of magnification of the innards due to the lens effect of the clear epoxy.

Thanks again,