banded snapping shrimp

[BLACK FRANCIS]

This is a pattern that was originally tied unweighted with the hook point down and a weed guard for tailing fish in very shallow water. I wanted one that would ride point up with the standard bc eyes for regular depth water. The fly would probably make a great small crayfish imitation as well, maybe tied a little darker.

Hook- daiichi x452
Thread- uni 6/0 white
Tail/carapace- natural frizz fiber
Claws- barred ginger saddle hackles
Antenna- orange k-flash
Eyes- gold bc
Hackle- barred ginger/cree
Bands- pantone brown marker

Start the thread behind the hook eye, tie in a sparse clump of frizz fiber and wind back to just past the bend. Make a small thread bump to aid in positioning the claws.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Figure eight wrap the trimmed hackle stems to get them to splay to the sides. Remember to tie them in upside down as the hook will ride point up. Note the trimmed hackle claw and figure eight dividing in the second photo.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Tie in two strands of k-flash for the antenna so that they sit above the claws in the finished fly. Tie in another clump of frizz fiber about three times the size of the first and wrap back to the bend, this will be the back/carapace.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Figure eight wrap a pair of bc eyes on top of the hook and tie in a barred ginger or cree hackle. I thought one with a dark stem may add to the banding/segmentation of the natural.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Coat the body of the fly generously with head cement before winding the hackle forward to help strengthen it when fished. Trim off the hackle barbs on the inside of the hook to make a flat space to pull forward the frizz fiber carapace.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Tie down the carapace and trim it off with a tail sticking out past the eye of the hook by two eye lengths. Whip finish and apply head cement. Note that the fly is tied with a rotary vise or by turning the hook over to finish the carapace tie off.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

Coat the back of fly (carapace) with cement. I use a fairly thick consistency hard as nails nail polish. Use a fine brown pantone marker to add the bands to the back when the cement is good and dry.

[juro]

Now you've done it!!!!

I am totally useless at work having seen this fly. USELESS!!!

Dreamin' of Acklins...

say isn't Vince there now?

[FishHawk]

Thanks for the step by step. I know of an area which looks like the Bahamas and it's on Cape Cod where this fly will work.
FishHawk

[nevada caster]

Are the colors of this fly selected to make it work in a specific area? What colors would work in the yucatan?

Thanks for the presentation. Makes tying it fairly simple.

JFK

[striblue]

Thanks very much for your submission

[BLACK FRANCIS]

first off i tie flies but i don't fish saltwater. here's what i know about the fly, the original version worked around aklins which i believe has a light colored sand botom. they were also tied in olive for fishing weedy areas where the shrimp are apparently olivey. the natural was a light tan with brown bands in the one photo i was able to find of a banded snapping shrimp.

[SteelBoneguy]

B. Francis

You don't fish salt but your tying bone flies, and hangin around here? Whats the story?

Very nice fly by the way.

[BLACK FRANCIS]

I am a fly tyer, i tie flies commercialy and when someone wants bonefish flies that's what i tie. i have made a commitment to photograph step by steps of the new patterns i do and thought as a public service and as a favor to my friend i would post them here. i am a trout and steelhead fisherman mainly and come to saltwater tying with matching the hatch in mind. i had a sample of someone's shrimp pattern, found a photo of said shrimp and set about to redesign it to ride hook point up. it's all bait to me, midges to musky flies, whatever keeps the lights on.

[juro]

Nick,

I can tell you that (A) you've got a bunch of bonefishers tying it and (B) you've got a bunch of striper sight fishers tying it!

Thanks for posting that, based on offline conversations it's been duly noted