Shrimp Flies For Rockfish

[Greg516]

Does anyone have a link to a pic of a shrimp fly or a pic of a shrimp fly... Cause Im gonna try to tie some.

[No Fences]

I don't have any pics, but I usually put 2 or 3 above my lead jig.

[Twitchs_Tackle]

I've used these before

[Tinman]

Shrimp flies are pretty crude, basically coarse nylon strands wrapped to the heavy hook shank with some thread, and bit of chenille body. I wouldn't get too fussy about making them pretty. Some guys use old plastic webbing from lawn chairs, and peel the fibers apart. Lash a 3 inch bundle to a big hook with chenille. Sorry I don't have a pic.

[Tip-Sea]

They are actually not real easy to find. Fishermans and Englunds are the only places I have found them. For some reason Bass pro shops, cabellas, and the other big stores don't seem to carry them. Danielsons makes them pretty cheap. I will try to get you a pic on here.

[goodkarma]

BiMart has them too.

I'm going to try some of those 3" Berkley "Gulp" swim baits this year, I think a couple of those on single hooks with a jig or weight on the bottom would probably produce pretty good results. I wish that "Gulp" stuff wasn't so expensive though.

[Fishing Dear]

Here's a picture, I've used these for bottom fish, three on a rig.
They work OK but fall apart after a few fish.

[Mark Mc]

The pre-packaged shrimp flies are becoming less useful. The large hooks are designed more for deep water rockfishing. That is not to say they won't work in shallow water. However, a smaller, quality hook is much better, and the stuff you tie will last much longer.

Don't forget to try using small swimbaits on a small hook instead of a shrimp fly.

I'll post some pictures later.

Here are some I used to tie....the big secret? Lawn chair material. The strands are put through the eye, then doubled over. Then wrap the yarn over the upper 1/3, and put epoxy on.

BTW, lawn chair material is also used to make Zuker brooms. Don't say I never told you any secrets.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

Don't forget to try using small swimbaits on a small hook instead of a shrimp fly.

2 bits 4 bits 6 bits a dollar. All for tuna bites stand up and holler!

And please, do show us the jedi way master on how to hook up the swimbaits. Thank you.

[edsr]

Ask Bait O' Eggs to post some of pictures of his shrimp flies. They are the nicest that I have seen and they hold up well.

[John H]

I have seen them at GI Joes. Also, I believe that you are limited to 3 hooks so if using a lead jig, which we usually do, then only 2 shrimp flies.

[snaggedup]

Try putting a uninflated balloon on your hook . works good .

[Mark Mc]

OK here are a few of the ones I tie, on a stainless mustad 4/0... I wouldn't call these "shrimp" flies though; just "flies of a different color"

[wanafish]

Hey Mark, you shouldn't have done that to Eric (Twitch) now he's going to be up all night! Good looking flies..er..jigs... uh..Baits!

[SRV240]

my dad and i also add a little bit of squid to our shrimp flies.i didnt think anybody even used them anymore.we also use bathroom towel rods filled with lead and a little bit of squid for the lings

[KeyWest]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

OK here are a few of the ones I tie, on a stainless mustad 4/0... I wouldn't call these "shrimp" flies though; just "flies of a different color"

I took a fly fisherman out to the sunken jetty with guys just like that and he loaded up. Very productive patterns!

[Beginners luck]

Originally Posted by Fishing Dear

Here's a picture, I've used these for bottom fish, three on a rig.
They work OK but fall apart after a few fish.

Bi-Mart carries these too. But like its been said...They work ok but dont hold up well at all...I will stick to my Crippled Herring jigs..

[jimsbuddy]

thanks all for the tips.... time for shopping

[DustyRod]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

OK here are a few of the ones I tie, on a stainless mustad 4/0... I wouldn't call these "shrimp" flies though; just "flies of a different color"

Nice looking flies Marc Mc. I had some left over hooks/material from a trip I took several years ago, and haven't had much use for them until now. So obvious, wish I would of thought of it before. Guess I better start tying.

[Duckworth Dave]

We will be using jig flies Saturday & Sunday down at Three Arches. Someone told me it will be closed for fishing down there after this weekend. Crazyfish will diive for Scallops there also water permiting.
The crab traps will be soking. We need a salt fix bad. For those of you that know Flying Fish has been moved from C6 to the end of C dock as she is too big for C6. Back to shrimp flies, red/gold works great as well as other colors. See ya out there this weekend.

[Puffin]

Hey guys been doin this 4 years. Colored pipe cleaners at craft store leftover xmas tinsel and easter basket filler. Put tinsel and e basket grass through eye of long shank hook put about 3 in of pipe cleaner through eye and wrap. Takes about 20 seconds and is expendable.

[Bait O' Eggs]

I have gone to using paint brushes for the shrimp fly material. I like the brown brush with white tips though I suspect its pretty dark on the bottom of the ocean. I can tie a whole lot of flies from a couple dollar paint brush.

[Sling Blade]

Puffin, I like the Easter grass. I also like using the strands from a white cotton rope. Strip off the amount you need and tie onto a 3/0 hook then trim length. Quick and inexpensive. The strands float in the water like fine hair.

[Tinman]

I love this thread because it shows this ain't rocket science. Threads like this give the newbies confidence. With all the talk of expensive reels and fancy gear, it's great to get down to basics.

[retaliate]

Originally Posted by Tinman

I love this thread because it shows this ain't rocket science. Threads like this give the newbies confidence. With all the talk of expensive reels and fancy gear, it's great to get down to basics.

Yep!, you can wrap yarn on a hook, & It'll work for Rockfish.

[SouthCoastStu]

Hey guys been doin this 4 years. Colored pipe cleaners at craft store leftover xmas tinsel and easter basket filler. Put tinsel and e basket grass through eye of long shank hook put about 3 in of pipe cleaner through eye and wrap. Takes about 20 seconds and is expendable.

Ol' Depoe Bay Dan showed me that trick.

Rock fish aren't too fussy......

[saltchucker]

Chartreuse clousers are DEADLY on blacks and if you have any kelp or structure it is really easy to sink one far enough on a shooting head to get to them. If I were gear fishing and wanted dropper flies I would tie up some chartreuse and chartreuse/white bucktails with some flash in em...really simple flies.


WR

[Lepper]

I dont 'have any pictures but all I did was buy some cheap hooks the size I wanted, Get pipe cleaners wrap em around the hook and leave a little tail. takes about 20 sec per fly and the boom fish LOVE EM!

and a whole lot cheaper then the flies themselves if you wanna do it.
d

[dirty in depoe]

Originally Posted by Twitchs_Tackle

I've used these before WoW

[CAPT KUJO]

Originally Posted by Fishing Dear

Here's a picture, I've used these for bottom fish, three on a rig.
They work OK but fall apart after a few fish.

Yeah but two casts, fill'em up and you've got your limit anyway!

CAPT KUJO

[Greg516]

Wat do you guys think the blue material is?

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Originally Posted by Greg516

Wat do you guys think the blue material is?

Punk Rock Barbie's Hair... you'd be surprised what a person can make from the toys at the $ store!

[Greg516]

Originally Posted by Mark Mc

OK here are a few of the ones I tie, on a stainless mustad 4/0... I wouldn't call these "shrimp" flies though; just "flies of a different color"

The only reason i ask is because i have some pink material like in these flies/jiggy things lol

[Moscamar]

Hi all.
I make ussually these patherns:



Eyes Larva Lace melted
Body, Cristal Ice chenille over weighted body
Shell, antenae and tail, translucent Super Hair Superglue satured in shell and tail.

Shinny variant:



Same materials, except the body:

Cristal Ice dubbed in a loss way.

...and only the tail Superglue saturated.

Sometimes, if my shrimps don´t produce I try my DonKarrankon crab:



I hope you can enjoy with these flies.
My apologies for my bad english

[pharmseller]

Originally Posted by Moscamar

Hi all.
I make ussually these patherns:



Eyes Larva Lace melted
Body, Cristal Ice chenille over weighted body
Shell, antenae and tail, translucent Super Hair Superglue satured in shell and tail.

Shinny variant:



Same materials, except the body:

Cristal Ice dubbed in a loss way.

...and only the tail Superglue saturated.

Sometimes, if my shrimps don´t produce I try my DonKarrankon crab:



I hope you can enjoy with these flies.
My apologies for my bad english

Welcome to the party!
Your flies are beautiful, and your English is much better than my Spanish.

P

[Lepper]

I just buy some pipe cleaners and hooks. Give the pipe cleaner a wrap or two on the hook and tie it on. Works just as good as any store bought shrimp fly. Takes seconds to make one to :P

[Moscamar]

Originally Posted by Lepper

I just buy some pipe cleaners and hooks. Give the pipe cleaner a wrap or two on the hook and tie it on. Works just as good as any store bought shrimp fly. Takes seconds to make one to :P

Thanks for the wellcome, Pharmseller.

Well, Lepper, surelly your pipe cleaners flyes can work astounding in your waters, but here in the Mediterranean coast the fishing presure is ver high and one look ever for goes, with the simplest designs possible, clossest to the original one:



...very translucent as you can see.

[reelist]

Originally Posted by Moscamar

...very translucent as you can see.

Now that's just....amazing! Wow.

Welcome for sure! Anyone w/ that kind of skill has much to contribute.

We often ask for an 'story' as an introduction. I'm betting you have one or two...

[Moscamar]

Originally Posted by reelist

Now that's just....amazing! Wow.

Welcome for sure! Anyone w/ that kind of skill has much to contribute.

We often ask for an 'story' as an introduction. I'm betting you have one or two...

Sure, Reelist, reaching the mid century and fishing from my early six years or soo (as I can remenber) you can bet with confidence I have someone stories for you... but maybe not enough english domain for tell its.

Anyway I can try...

A day in the office rings my phone and my fishing budy, Pepe, ask me abaut go fish the next day afther working, in the evening to the first hours in the night, and return to home for dinner as the next day are also a labour day.
I say him "Ok" and the next day I come to my job with my fishing gear and, when the journey finishes, we meet and go try fish at one gravel beach abaut 20 kilometers north of Valencia well know for the number of seabass captures it brings.
After few hours of casting and retrieving no one of us have the minor bite... and then Pepe call me from half cent of meters away saying "Hey, no one. Today isent the day. Are the nine in the night, go home for dinner?" and I answer "Yes, of course, let my do a last cast..."

And from the small point of rocks I be I cast along the beach, paralel to the water line, at abaut two foot or les deep... I first crank my reel and after few turns...
Whooooooooooaaaaaaaauuuuuuu!!!!!!! A damed train bites and the clicker of my reel sounds like a crazy machinegun.
Impossible stop it. My rod bended in near a circle, and mi reel lossing line at hig speed... and Pepe asking "What happens? What happens? Ricardo, what happens!!!?".... and me only capable of repeat one and another time the same "bad" word... "F....!!!, F....!!!!, F....!!!!!!!!!" whith my eyes hocked in the amount of line who rest in my reel... second to second more small.... and warning meself for hold very heavy the rood when the reel becomes empty for avoid it goes out of my hands...


...and then an idea:

"Ok. I can´t stoop it. Why don´t let him think the line is broken and wait what happens?"
Thought and done I let the reel "opened" and lower the rod for make totally eassy the exit of the line...
...who continues exiting at very hig speed for... surelly few seconds... but hours for me...
...and then Pepe reach my side and ask me "Broken line?"
"Not: Open reel" "You totally crazy!!!!. Why?????!!!!!!"

"I can´t stop It, Pepe. When the line goes fully out I lost it... then I be betting for it can feel itself free with no line resistence and then stops... (And, awesome in these same moment the run disminishes their speed... I caught in silence... few secods... few meters of line out each second at less and less speed... and finally, whith no more than then turns of soo of line in the reel and with the bottom of the bobbin exposed... it stops) ...their run" "Incredible" say Pepe. "Shsssssss: don´t say nothing... don´t move... even don´t thing!!!! quiet!!!!" I say.

Time pass...
Time pass...
Time pass...

...an sligh movement of the line...
...and finally a consistent movement along the beach...
...I first walk along the beach... upping the drag of my reel and reeling some line very gentle... Pumping (pulling) very gentle with my rod and lowering it and relling few turns... and walking...
A quart of bobbin reeled....
Mid bobbin reeled....
Three quarters of the bobbing reeled...

...and another time the train runnig out of the coast.
Full drag, rod circle bended, ....and no stop ...and same unstoppable speed...

...and, now with more confidence, same decision: reel fully opened, rod lowered... and praying

The run continues, the line goes out... an afther few endless, eternal seconds... the speed becomes lowest and lowest and finally it stops.

This time with slightly more line remaining in the reel... not a lot... but more than the first time.

Afther few seconds, another time it moves along the beach... and another time we walk along the beach pumping gentle and retrieving line slowly...

In this way one and another time, one and another time...

...finally, totally tired, I say Pepe: "Take the rood for the next fight/run" "Why? Not!!! You crazy: Are you fish!!! ...and what happens if I lost it????" "Listen, Pepe... these fish can goes out when it likes. May be in the next run... maybe in three runs more... and me or you can´t do noting for avoid it: Only pray an do the same we are doing to this moment. Waith for it stop, wait for it moves, punp and retrieve then gently, let it go away the next time it feels itself so close to the shore line... and if stops another time, do it another time... If me or you are in the rood don´t means any difference... and I like you have also the oportunity of have in the rood these gegant, feel it running... and maybe have a story for tell to your grandchildrens when you have grandchildrens..."

...and Pepe finally takes the rood... and all repeats one and another time... with an small difference:
one run with the rood in their hands, another time in my hands...

...and run afther run, each time their stops letting more and more line reeled...

and, finally, in a last pump, surfing over a wave, I can land in the beach and awesome "chucho" (Aetobatus narinar):


of abaut 4 yards wide, wing to wing points!!!!!

I go leave the hook of their mouth when Pepe cry me:

"What you do???!!!!"

"Relase it"

"Why?!!!!"

"Why not?. What you like do? Put it in the dinner table of your home for clean it? Your coocking room is soo small for it and the mine also. Do you have thinked what kind of things can say you your wife if you do that?"

"We can put it in the car and sold it in any restorant!"

"In your SMALL Ford Fiesta? How? Putting it over the car, opening the windows, pulling of the wings trough and closing the windows caching its?... from here to the restorant surelly we become stoped for more than one police patrol... or create few trafic cracks... if not someone heart attacks... Not, Pepe, better relase it and bring to another two crazy guys their oportunity of have it in the rood, not?"

"Well... fine..."
"Fine..."

...and putting my boot over their head I pull it in the next wave out of the beach... few splash of their wings... and none.

"What time you say are when you ask me for stop fishing, Pepe?"

"Nine in the night, enought for are in home at then in the night for dinner..."

"And now?"

"Two in the morning"

"Five hours of fight?"

"Yes, five hours"

"Go home, not?"

"Yes, better..."

[Ranger61]

Now THAT'S an intro story! Welcome aboard.

[Gundog]

Great story I could picture the whole thing welcome aboard.

Mike

[reelist]

Great story Moscamar! I followed every run and felt like I was there. Thanks much.

Mark

PS pretty dang good english too. Keep it up, reading our postings will push you skills that for sure!