Fly-tying

Devised in Finnish Lapland, this salmon fly is a great choice for water carrying a tinge of colour.

Material list for the Olli’s Shrimp

Tube: Brass Eumer Crayfish, 15mm or 22mm  

Hook: Size 6-8 single or double  

Thread: Black 

Tail: Orange coypu, two strands Krystal Flash and “tentacles” from orange cock hackle stalks with tapered tips

Rear hackle: Orange cock

Rib: Fine oval gold tinsel

Body: Black Lagartun mini flat braid

Wing: Black coypu

Front hackle: Black cock

Head: Black Eumer conehead 

Step 1. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 1. Slide a short length of fine plastic tube into the metal tube. Melt the rear end of the plastic tube to create a lip that holds the metal tube in place.

Step 2. Ollis Shrimp

Step 2. Push a small section of wider plastic tube, used to retain the hook, over the rear end of the metal tube. Fix the tube on a needle mount and apply the thread.

Step 3. Ollis Shrimp

Step 3. Take a bunch of orange coypu and secure it at the end of the metal tube. Now select two dyed-orange cock hackles and strip away the fibres to leave just the tips. 

Step 4. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 4. Secure the hackle stems and hair in place with further tight turns of thread then add two strands of Krystal Flash. Now trim away the waste ends.

Step 5. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 5. Take a large dyed-orange cock hackle and catch it in by its base, immediately in front of the tail. Wind on three or four turns of the hackle.

Step 6. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 6. Secure the hackle-tip and remove the excess. Stroke the hackle fibres back and catch in a length of oval gold tinsel plus a length of flat black braid.

Step 7. Ollis Shrimp

Step 7. Secure the tinsel rib and braid and take the thread along the tube, stopping when it reaches the end of the plastic tube. Wind the braid to form a tapered body.

Step 8. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 8. Secure the braid then wind the rib over it. Secure the end of the rib and remove the excess. Catch in a small bunch of coypu on the plastic tube so the tips touch the hackle. 

Step 9. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 9. Trim away the excess hair before securing and winding on a dyed-black cock hackle. Cast off the thread before slipping a black Eumer cone over the plastic tube.

Step 10. Ollis Shrimp.

Step 10. Apply a drop of superglue then push the cone hard back against the wing-base to secure. Trim the tube short and burr the end over using a naked flame.