The Cinnamon Shrimp

[Der Baron]

Cinnamon Shrimp, Step by Step

Hook used is a Gamakatsu size 2 shrimp hook.

First whip on your thread, right down to the curve of the hook.

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Then whip on 2 Golden pheasant neck feather either side of the shanks. Nip out the tip of the feather first, leaving an open V were the tip should be.

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Then grab the stems of both feathers and pull back towards the eye. This compresses the fibres and adds to the feeler affect on the shrimp.

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After nipping of the excess stem,I like to over lay a bit of sparkle, or flashabou over the feelers. Just take a few strands and whip over the top of the Golden Pheasant.

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Trim the flashabou to the same length as the feelers. At this point I like to tie in the painted bead chain. I've used a 2mm size on this occasion, as it suits the size of the hook and pattern. Simply loop your thread over the middle of the bead and the weight of the bobbin will trap it for you. As you wind on the thread you can then manoeuvre the beads into place on top of the curve of the hook.

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To be continued on next thread, sorry folks only allowed 5 attachments per thread!

[Der Baron]

Trap the bead on top of the shank by performing a figure of eight loop over the shank of the bead.

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At this stage I like to form a dubbing loop. I have used Frankie McPhillips Cow Dung seals fur. The dubbing loop gives a bit more body to the fly than a single strand.

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Wind the dubbing back up the shank to the eye of the hook, then tie in a ginger cock hackle at the eye.

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Wind the cock hackle back down to the beads and tie off. I have used as long a hackle as I dare get away with here. As the legs of a shrimp are quite long.

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[Der Baron]

Before you go any further, brush the hackle fibres down from the top to bottom. They should fold over quite easily, and this will thicken up the body of the fly. Next step is to tie in the back of the shrimp. On this occasion I have used veniard cinnamon body stretch. I have doubled it up, which means that I can give it a bit more width over the top of the fur.

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Before we I tie in the body I need to add in the tinsel that will be the rib and segmentation for the shell-back. I have used a brown mottled tinsel on this occasion. Trap in immediately behind the body stretch or shell back, whatever you decide to use.

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Now it's time to wind the thread up to the eye, and also bring the body stretch along with it. Neatly trap in and nip off the excess that is hanging over the eye, before wrapping the rib up towards the eye in nice even turns. Then after you have trapped this in nip the excess off.

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All that remains now is to add the tail section.I do this by taking 2 small micro barbed hackles, and using a similar method as I used to tie in the Golden pheasant, trap it in on the shank of the hook, underneath, and directly behind the eye. If you can manage to tie the hackles in at a slightly oblique angle from the shaft of the hook, this creates a V in in between the hackles, and forms a nice tail. Again, pull the shaft of the feather back towards the bend until you have a length of tail you are satisfied with.

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When you have the length of tail you are satisfied with, trim the excess shaft of feather off, and whip finish at the head to complete the fly.

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Hopefully you will have something you are satisfied with. remember a little hint of varnish on the whip finish just to seal the knot.

[Der Baron]

The Cinnamon Shrimp

The finished article:

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Hope this helps those who were asking me to post something up.

regards Paul

[gfkelly1969]

I don't fly fish but I enjoyed reading the post and seeing how the fly was made,fair play for putting it up,well done

[evan699]

Another great post and very well explained and well tied fly. Thanks for posting.

[patk]

Great tie. What do you target with it? Be great forbass and mullet in a v small size. Really clear step by step Thanks for putting it up pat

[cathalger]

Very good post Der Baron, well explained and the end result looks like a very useful and versatile pattern. Did you tie it with a particular species or venue in mind or just as an all rounder to experiment with?

Good looking fly.

[Der Baron]

Thanks guys, I tied it as an 'anything will eat it pattern'.It's as life like as my limited skills will allow. I could have used a heavy mono for the eyes, which just involves a short length folded around the shaft, creating two stalks, and then, burning the ends to create little black eyes, looks good and not to fiddly. I have looked around a number of rock pools, and in one particular place I fish, there is a rather large pool, beside my mark. The shrimp in it can be easily up to a centimetre and a half long. I also noticed that they vary greatly in colour depending what weed is in the pool. From this colour to a ghostly grey almost translucent, which I also will be tying. I haven't fished with it yet, but I reckon, anything will take this. I have large shoals of mullet and sea-trout on my doorstep, so I guess they'll get first opportunity. However pulling this up close to the kelp, I can't help feeling that the Wrasse might have a go too.

[FISHYFINGERS]

LISTEN NEVER MIND THE WRASSE HAVING A GO, GIMMIE A FEW OF THOSE BABIES ON A BIT OF LETTUCE AND THOUSAND ISLAND!!!!!!!!!!

YOU ARE DEFINATELY IN THE WRONG JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gerryl]

Super stuff...luv the shrimp tail...

[JOHN1]

very tasty looking fly Der well done, the seas will be Baron if the fish take a liking to them

[steve101]

That's a cracking shrimp fly. Have you ever fished them under and indicator (or a popper/gurgler acting as a strike indicator). I'm just wondering how you know when you've got a take - assuming you can't see the fly.

Steve

[Der Baron]

That's a cracking shrimp fly. Have you ever fished them under and indicator (or a popper/gurgler acting as a strike indicator). I'm just wondering how you know when you've got a take - assuming you can't see the fly.

Steve

Steve, I've been fly fishing for over 20yrs, trust me, even when fishing with the smallest nymphs, the secret was to keep an eye on the tip of the line, or the bow in the line from the rod tip to the water. But having now, made the transition to the sea, you will have absolutely no problem detecting a bite, although I fish mainly for Pollack or Seatrout, because that's what's available. My experience with Pollock, is that the line stops dead on the retrieve, then comes free, then stops dead again, then tears off into the depths, to the nearest kelp, the sea trout just tears off. I have tied the shrimp with the seatrout, mullet and wrasse in mind. The wrasse I noticed last year were actually following the pollack flies right upto the surface which convinced me that they would eagerly take, a shrimp or crab imitation. Give it a go, you will not look back, I am busting to get back at it this year, it is tremendous fun.

regards Paul

[pookie5488]

pure art mate supper fly well tied super post, thanks for sharing

[chuckaroo]

That's a cracking shrimp fly. Have you ever fished them under and indicator (or a popper/gurgler acting as a strike indicator). I'm just wondering how you know when you've got a take - assuming you can't see the fly.

Steve

Steve, I've been fly fishing for over 20yrs, trust me, even when fishing with the smallest nymphs, the secret was to keep an eye on the tip of the line, or the bow in the line from the rod tip to the water. But having now, made the transition to the sea, you will have absolutely no problem detecting a bite, although I fish mainly for Pollock or Seatrout, because that's what's available. My experience with Pollock, is that the line stops dead on the retrieve, then comes free, then stops dead again, then tears off into the depths, to the nearest kelp, the sea trout just tears off. I have tied the shrimp with the seatrout, mullet and wrasse in mind. The wrasse I noticed last year were actually following the pollack flies right upto the surface which convinced me that they would eagerly take, a shrimp or crab imitation. Give it a go, you will not look back, I am busting to get back at it this year, it is tremendous fun.

regards Paul

i'll have to source somethin similar to them there yolks. i would always have had just used little lures on the flyrod to mimic fry and baitfish, would never even had though too try a shrimp. sounds like a great job, especially if the wrasse would even have a go at them too. thanks for the post!

[steve101]

Cheers Paul - the shrimp looks like a tough tie for the moment but I'll try a few easier to tie crabs

Steve