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Ally's Shrimp

4K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  fredaevans 
#1 ·
Well I have 2 months off to take care of my son so for the first couple weeks nap time has meant tying time. I think this year may be the first I have a full fly box going into the season. Too bad the Skagit/Sauk are in such bad shape....Hopefully they will clear up by February.

Will start putting up posts of my winter flies as I fill up my box. Since my digital cam is broken I am using my scanner but the flies are coming out OK.

Here is another shrimp fly for team L.I.M.P. members.

This is my one and only orange fly in my box. Famous Atlantic Salmon pattern that flytyer turned me onto. Works for steelhead as well and I like the slim profile , it sinks very well unlike a GP.

Hook: Tiemco 7999 2/0 - 6
Thread: Fire Orange UNI (I also use orange and red UNI)
Tail: Orange Bucktail Mixed with Crystal Flash
Tag: Silver Tinsel
Body: 1/2 Red floss 1/2 Black floss ribbed with medium oval tinsel
Overwing: Natural Grey Squirrel topped with bunch of golden pheasant tippets
Throat: Natural Grey Squirrel matching length of squirrel in overwing
Collar: Large Hot Orange Whiting American Rooster Cape feather
 

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#3 ·
Sean,

Glad to hear you found the Ally's Shrimp to be as good as I told you it is. And as you also know, it can be tied huge (#2/0 or larger) for big winter water, small (10 or less) for low summer/fall water, or in between for the rest of the year and it is still effective.

Very nice job of tying it by the way. And as I told you I like the way it sinks compared to the G.P. and it swims and fishes better in the faster water at the head and tail of a run or hole than the G.P. It also takes less time to tie than a properly dressed G.P.

The Blue and Purple with the aqua UNI-Stretch and the pearl mylar braided rear body you posted earlier would be dynamite tied as an Ally's Shrimp. Use pearl oval or flat mylar for the tag, purple deer tail and purple Krystal Flash for the tail, aqua UNI-Stretch for the rear body and black floss for the front body, rib with either oval pearl mylar or oval siver tinses. Blue dyed squirrel tail for the body veilings (what some people call the under wing). Purple dyed G.P. tippets, a purple hackle collar and a blue thread head.

If you want more flash in it, use blue deer tail with light blue Krystal Flash for the tail, eliminate the aqua UNI-Stretch and use pearl flat or braided mylar for the rear body. Remember the Ally's Shrimp is both a pattern and a style of fly, so the colors can be changed to whatever strikes your fancy. Just call it a _____ Ally's Shrimmp.
 
#5 ·
Aha the Old Silk Cut Shrimp

The Purple Ali Shrimp has been designed and tied over here by Andy Wren (London) as the Silk Cut Shrimp. Silk Cut are cigarettes that had/have a purple colour to the packet.
Hook Doubles/trebles 4-10
Silk Black
Tail. Long purple buck tail, with a sparse addition of Crystal hair
Body. Flat pearl Lurex over wet-varnished tying silk with varnish over the completed body for protection
Wing G.P. tippet dyed purple tied to lie horizontal
Collar Purple hen or cock long and full
Head Black

I took the dressing from Stan Headley Trout & Salmon flies of Scotland. There is nothing new under the sun.
 
#6 ·
Malcolm, at the risk of appearing pedantic, the recipe I have for the Silk Cut Shrimp has an underwing of dyed purple squirrel tail, with the GP tippet over. Also an oval silver rib on the body. This came from Andy himself, posted on the old F&F board. I think he sometimes gives them a red head, too, incidentally.
 
#9 ·
Willie Gun,

The SILK CUT SHRIMP is one of my favorite flies for steelhead. I tie it with the purple squirrel tail veilings and ribbing that Gardener mentioned.

I have also found that an Ally's Shrimp with a body comprised of fl. cerise Krystal Flash with gold oval rib, red and yellow bucktail with cerise Krystal Flash, red squirrel body veilings, fl. hot pink G.P. tippet wing, and cerise and yellow hackle color with a fl. cerise head works fine in winter or spring water that has a bit of color in it when tied on #1/0 or #2/0 hooks. Be forewarned, this is a very bright fly.
 
#10 ·
flytyer,
Any chance of a picture if you warned everybody we could don dark glasses first.

I tie my Ali Variants by using artic fox rather than feathers for the collar. I think it gives the fly more motion.

I will concede that Andy Wren uses purple squirel tail as he sent me some to tie his Silk Cut shrimp but in the textbook that is the dressing given.
 
#12 ·
It's all evolution

nothing ever remains the same .
silk cuts have evolved a litttle over the years a touch of ribbing to make them last a couple more fish ,and the squirrel under wing to make the wing more pronounced .
should have a scanner working soon and will try to do some pics for the board .
BTW there are some going in the auction ,http://flyforums.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1057254115

I beleive our wise moderator has a bid on them .

I also owe FAE a few in return for his wonder leaders .

The latest varient has an modern Irish slant to them when Ive moved a few more fish to it ,I'll let you know .:smokin:
 
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