The small shrimp is a tie we made to fish just under our feet and in gin-clear saltwater where we can watch it skipping just over rocks and weed. Pollack and wrasse love this fly, and will come out of the depths to check it out before a smash and grab, turning to the bottom with us in tow.
It is made to mainly imitate the brown (or common) shrimp (Crangon crangon) that is abundant around our coastline in Argyll. They tend to hug rocks and seaweed, but when there is a current running, they often lose their footing and will drift along reefs and the shoreline where wrasse and pollack will hoover them up.
We tie this shrimp on a long shank, strong hook in sizes 4 to 10. The tail is angel hair, white flash, bucktail or simply 10lb monofilament line which is formed into 2 loops to give the impression of the fan-like tail of the shrimp.
The body is made from Semperfli Perfect Shrimp Wool, which is indeed a perfect mottled yellow/pink/beige. The eyes are bead chain, which add a little weight. this keeps the fly line above and out of the rough ground, and the fly below closer to the fish.
The antennae are the same material as the tail, some angel hair, and white flash. Underneath is a large soft hackle in brown or mottled colours such as teal feathers. These are tied in a bunch to give the impression of the legs.
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