Maggie's Shrimp - A Step By Step

[laffingravy]

This pattern was developed by Ross McDonald and comes from a stable of patterns with an excellent pedigree. Its sister patterns the Calvin Shrimp and Park Shrimp are all excellent patterns. All 3 patterns can of course be dressed on singles, doiubles, trebles and tubes. We will however target early, spring fish and with this is mind I demonstrate on copper.




Tying Material


Tube: Veniard copper Slipstream 1" long
Thread: Uni 6/0 fire orange
Tag: Large Opal Mirage Uni tinsel
Tail: Yellow dyed calf tail overlaid with black dyed Arctic Runner overlaid with doubled strands of fine mother of pearl Krystalflash overlaid with yellow dyed Arctic runner
Rib: Medium silver French Oval
Body: Black dyed baby seals fur
Wing: Black dyed Arctic fox overlaid with fine silver Angel Hair
Cheeks: Jungle cock nails
Hackle: Yellow dyed Chevron hen saddle




Tying Method




Step 1: Seccure the tube in the collet









Step 2: Attach thread rear of centre of tube












Step 3: Cut a length of large Opal Mirage tinsel to a sharp point and catch in with a couple of turns of tying thread.









Step 4: Wind the tinsel to the back of the tube and forward again. We are looking to cover approximately 1/4 of the tube length. Tie in and trim waste end.









Step 5: Tie in a slim 'pouffe' of yellow dyed calf tail. It should be noted at this stage that the original pattern calls for Arctic Runner at this stage. While offering suoerb mobility this product has a tendency to wrap and foul hook points if unsupported.









Step 6: Overlay the calf tail with a slim bunch of black dyed Arctic Runner. The material should extend longer than the yellow calf tail.









Step 7: Overlay the material with 2 doubled lengths of fine mother of pearl Krystalflash. Trim to approximately the length of the black material.









Step 8: Overlay the composite tail with the final material which is yellow dyed Arctic Runner. It should be tied in shorter than the previous black layer.









Step 9: Trim the waste ends of the tail material at approximately the length of the body. Tie in a length of fine French Oval tinsel. Wind the thread back to the rear end of the body binding down the waste ends of the tail material as you progress. This will prevent lumps and bumps in the body profile.









Step 10: Apply SMALL bunches of black dyed baby seals fur to the tying thread and dub to form a SLIM rope. If you apply too little you can always add a little more. if you apply too much then removing it is difficult and will result in a pattern that looks like Billy Bunter.









Step 11: Wind the dubbing rope in touching turns.









Step 12: Contimue applying dubbing material and winding until body is complete.









Step 13: Wind the French Oval in open turns the opposite direction from which you have wound the dubbing to form rib.









Step 14: Cut a clump of black dyed Arctic fox from a tail. Remove waste material from base and comb out any damaged fibres. Pinch the base and gently twist the ends of the fibres working with he natural bias of the fur. This will accentuate the natural curve of the fur.









Step 15: Tie in the fur so that the ends of the fibres culminate at the ends of the tail.









Step 16: Trim the waste ends of the wing and bind down the stub ends. Overlay the wing with some fine silver Angel Hair.









Step 17: Tie in a pair of jungle cock nails as cheeks.









Step 18: Prepare a yellow dyed hen saddle hackle as shown and tie in.









Step 19: Wind the hackle and tie in.









Step 20: Whip finish and varnish to complete

[Thom]

Maggies shrimp, by laffingravy.

Well done! Great pictures and step by step; it's so clear my dog is trying to tie it as i type! Down, Veniard down; bad dog. I've not tried that one but, i will now. Have you tried them in different lengths/weights at all? How long is the one you tied there?-Errr...ok i see it now. What about hook sizes as well and maybe doubles(incl types of) and a single also. Have you any recommendations from previous forays yourself or is it a first?

thanks for sharing

Tom.|\

[laffingravy]

Heyup Thom,

If you have a dog that ties flies best you sell him to me cos it would save me a load of time and grief from my missus who insists that I am a lazy fishing loafer

As regards the pattern, it is one that I use quite a lot in spring and it has done for spring fish for me for the last 3 years. You can tie it whatever sizes suit the speed of flow and depth of water in your own particular river. While I must confess that I haven't fished it much on doubles I have tied it up on Partridge Code P size 6 for mates and clients. If you decide to knock a few up I would be interested in the results you get.



Best regards,
Geoff

[Thom]

Heyup Thom,

If you have a dog that ties flies best you sell him to me cos it would save me a load of time and grief from my missus who insists that I am a lazy fishing loafer

As regards the pattern, it is one that I use quite a lot in spring and it has done for spring fish for me for the last 3 years. You can tie it whatever sizes suit the speed of flow and depth of water in your own particular river. While I must confess that I haven't fished it much on doubles I have tied it up on Partridge Code P size 6 for mates and clients. If you decide to knock a few up I would be interested in the results you get.



Best regards,
Geoff

Hi Geoff

Me doggy is a lab/collie cross called Molly. She catches flies in the summer but try as i might i can't get her to use the bobbin- maybe i should try the other dog, she's a whippet(must be some use with a name like that!) Molly came in handy last year tho' when i ran out of some black deer hair. Her tail is jet black and coarse and not docked so its like a brush or actually, a bit like your half mexican moustache in the step by step! Used some to tie a few snake flies(much to mollys disgust and growls/yelps whenever i went near her tail for weeks!) Her forte is eating-blimey o'reilly can she put it away-she followed me one morning from kitchen to lounge, me carrying 2 bacon butties on a plate with cuppa alongside & as i struggled to open door, butties slid from plate and they were both down the gullet before they hit the floor! bless her heart-it was manna from heaven for her and toast for me as that was the last of that bacon-bugger! Oh and yes; we are all those lazy loafers you mentioned too.


What better place (having tied some) to try them than on the new beat below henllan bridge-that'll stir me to blow the dust off and get cracking.
Have you ever tied them with hook on via 2 loops front and back(similar to snakes) makes them a bit easier to tie on thru loop at the front without having to thread?


cheers

Tom|\

[laffingravy]

Have you ever tied them with hook on via 2 loops front and back(similar to snakes) makes them a bit easier to tie on thru loop at the front without having to thread?


cheers

Tom|\

Hello again Thom,

I have never tried them in the way that you suggest. It sounds like a most interesting concept and one that you want to explore for yourself. I would be keen to hear how you get along with it

[Thom]

Shrimps and stuff

Hi Geoff

I should have said, having the hook/s in a loop at the rear instead of pushed into the tube and tied at the eye,(which allows the hook to wobble a lot if pulled out of the tube at all) allows the hook to slightly move about in the flow as when i do snakes; i make the loop to fit around the base of the treble or double which gives it a snug fit(having gone down through the eye first,around the base and back up through the eye before making the loop to tie line onto. Then, even if it is pulled out of the tube by a snag or snapping fish(hopefully) the hook will remain in the same position and not fall free like say a rapala. Its a job best done using hollow braided mono and when done properly(not difficult) is stronger than any single knotted mono. I have yet to have such a link part on me and have pulled some mighty logs from the Teifi.(still working on the mighty fish but its good practice!)|\

[mintylad]

Thom

Any chance you could post a picture of what you do as I am a little lost. Many thanks in advance

Mintylad

[laffingravy]

Tom, I think you are describing some kind of modified swing tube set up but am at a bit of a loss to fully understand your set up from your description. As Minty has suggested a picture might help us all to understand a little better your set up.