Irish Shrimp Paterns?

[Fruin]

I have always had a fondness of these patterns for small to medium spate rivers, particularly the old favourites - Bann, Curry's Red, and the Foxford.
However, I rarely fish them on the bigger rivers unless the water is low over prolonged periods. I was speaking to somebody at the close of the season on the Tay, who i know does quite well with quantities caught, and he said that he rarely fishes anything else regardless of the conditions. This was after I met another very good angler a few days before, during high water on another river, that was fishing two of these on his cast.
Do any other members fish these in all conditions on the big rivers? What pattern and size would you recommend for spring fishing?

[minitube]

Hi Fruin,


The Yellow Shrimp and the Wilkinson Shrimp are two firm favourites for Spring fishing in Ireland, with or without Jungle cock wings. 6.8 and 10 trebles are probably most popular, 10's if the water is low. Or 4, 6 and 8 doubles. The water is usually clear in spring time so it is not really necessary to go very large.The Orange and Gold Shrimp is popular on some peaty rivers like the Cork Blackwater and various smaller spate rivers.

[Fruin]

Thanks Minitube and Springer,

After years of absence from fishing, the first fish on my first season back was caught on a Wilkinson Shrimp; it is a nice looking fly. I was so thankful, that I returned the fish and took great pleasure from that. I've never had another fish on the Wilkinson shrimp, but rarely fish it. I think I'll put a few in the box for next spring

The Curry's Red is a firm favourite on my nearest small spate river, but I have had much more success with the Bann Shrimp.

Does anybody have the dressing for the Yellow Shrimp and/or the Lemon Shrimp?

[Fruin]

I was at the vice last night. I forgot how perforated your finger tips get when tying on Esmond Drury trebles

[roecaster]

Yellow Shrimp

Tag; Silver oval.
Tail; Wound golden pheasant red breast feather.
Rear body; Yellow seal's fur.
Rear rib; Silver oval.
Mid-hackle; Yellow, soft cock hackle.
Front body; Black seal's fur.
Front rib; Oval silver.
Wing (optional); Roofed jungle cock.
Front hackle; Badger.
Head; Red or black.

Would post a photo but haven't worked that one out yet.

I only use Irish shrimp flies and catch plenty of fish on them. These flies glimmer and pulse with life even in slow flows when your hairwing or Scottish style shrimp simply dies.

[Fruin]

Roecaster,

Thanks for the dressing, much appreciated.

I agree that the hairwing patterns can look a dit "dead" in anything less than classic fly water. However, careful choice of alternative wing/tail/hackle materials can transform a stiff pattern into a very lively one.

[roecaster]

Your point as regards changing mterials to give a more lively fly is true. However what has to be remembered is that even when soft materials such as arctic fox are used, Scottish style shrimps and hairwings stilll do not "pulse." What I mean is that these flies only provide lateral movement in faster water. The hackes on these flies are pinned back, and their movement is limited. A properly tied fly in the Irish style has more "sticky out" hackles, which will open and close attractively in slow flows.
Tie on an example of each style and watch their actions in the water at your feet. There is much to be learnt from this simple exercise and yet few take the time to do it.

[lomond]

Fruin, the Bann Special shrimp is deadly on the Endrick. Fished on the dropper with an Allys on the tail, the Bann shrimp seems to take most of the fish.

[Fruin]

Lomond,

I've had a few on that one as well, after you set me straight a few years ago

[lomond]

Fruin, I've also tied some of the gold shrimps in this months FF&FT for our trip to the Nith on Nov 5. I'm expecting fireworks that day.

[Fruin]

I hope you've tied enough for us all

[lomond]

fruin said:

I hope you've tied enough for us all

Into triple figures already ;D

[charlieh]

Although it's not strictly an Irish pattern, the Usk Grub is a long-time favourite of mine, particularly on the Wye, and I would be quite happy fish it there more or less any time when conditions suited the fly. There was some discussion of the dressing on the new Salmon Fishers board recently - it's in the fly tying step by steps - though you will need to register to see it.

Another good one is the Black Shrimp, which again is clearly of the same family, though technically speaking is not Irish since it was invented by the late John Cathcart of Inverness. I've had a few early autumn fish from the Tweed on this, and am pretty sure it took one of the fish I had the only time I fished the Tay, too. These days I tend to fish a variant, though, which is something between a Black Shrimp and a Bann Special.