Published Oct 11. 2012 - 11 years ago
Updated or edited Oct 12. 2023

Allan's Winter Shrimp

A simple shrimp pattern that does not use the popular but expensive Spey hackle

Alan\'s Winter Shrimp - Lots of legs and big eyes
Alan's Winter Shrimp
Alan Kuhlman Hansen

This is my suggestion for a simple shrimp fly that won't cost you a fortune in Whiting Spey Hackle. I typically fish in slow and long strips when it's cold, but a quick, jerky retrieve has also proven itself effective at times.

Alan's Winter Shrimp
Pattern type: 
Cold saltwater fly
Originator: 
Alan Kuhlman Hansen
Species: 
Materials: 
Hook
TMC200rR size 6
Thread
UTC 70 white
Mouth parts 1
Natural gray mallard flank feathers
Mouth parts 2
Black emu feathers (alternative: black CDC)
Antennae
Two stripped stems from blue dun hackle feathers
Eyes
Two black mono eyes (store bought or home made)
Body
Pink SLF dubbing
Weight
A strip of adhesive weight or whatever you normally use for weight
Legs
Grizzly feather
Shield
Orange Ultra Hair (alternative: Gliss-n-Glint from Deer Creek)
Shell
Diamond Hard UV resin
Skill level/difficulty: 
Medium
Instruction: 
  • Tie up a thread base to the hook tip.
  • Tie a bunch of mallard feathers down the hook bend. Clip excess off at an angle.
  • Tie a little bunch of black emu/CDC on top of the mallard feathers.
  • Tie in two antennae of stripped hackle, one on each side.
  • Tie a small clump of pink SLF dubbing behind the mouth parts.
  • Tie the eyes on. The dubbing keeps them separated in a V.
  • Tie the rest down towards the hook eye. Secure it with varnish.
  • Tie in a grizzly feather, the shiny side facing you.
  • Apply a "lead" strip (Optional)
  • Make a thin dubbing loop of SLF. Dub a body to 3 millimeters from the hook eye.
  • Wrap the grizzly feather in tight turns
  • Secure the feather and make a half hitch.
  • Stroke the barbs down on each side.
  • Cut the back free to make room for a shield.
  • Tie in orange Ultra Hair behind the hook eye. This must be done in two stages the first shortest and the second longer, so that it reaches over the mouth parts.
  • The first bunch of Ultra Hair is kept low between the eyes. Apply resin and cure to secure it.
  • The next set of Ultra Hair is tied in 1 centimeter beyond the eye.
  • Finish with a whip finish.
  • Build up the shield with resin in several layers. Hold the Ultra Hair tightly down over the first bundle.
  • Cut the tail. I hold a razor blade between the hook eye and the fibers at an angle and apply a drop of resin and cure. Trim with scissors and the fly is finished. PS: The tail is optional.

Materials - What you need to tie Alan\'s Winter Shrimp
Materials
Alan Kuhlman Hansen
Step 2 - mallard

Step 3 - emu or CDC

Step 4 - antennae

Step 5 - dubbing and eyes

Step 6 - grizzly feather

Step 7 - weight

Step 8 - dubbing

Step 9 - wrap hackle

Step 10 - first bunch of Ultra hair

Step 11 - cure

Step 12 - shell and tail

Done

Alan Kuhlman Hansen
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