Hook:

Daiichi 2546: Size 4-8

Thread:

White 6/0.

Eyes

Small black beadchain eyes

Weight:

0.020 gauge lead wire

Tail:

16 strands of UV Pearl Krystal Flash

Legs:

Pearl blue/black speckle silicone legs

Body:

UV Pearl Ice Dub

Back:

Prismatic Pliable Sheet Back

Hackle:

Three wraps of white saddle hackle

Rib:

Brassie size UTC copper wire

Notes:

I developed this pattern several years ago as a sand shrimp imitation for resident coho salmon in Washington's Puget Sound. Fished with short 4-6" strips this fly has proven itself as a resident coho and sea-run cutthroat producer, especially during the winter when these shrimp become an important food source. I also use orange, pink and chartreuse versions of this fly, substituting the back material with edge brite. These colors have been especially effective for migratory pink, chum and coho salmon.

Step 2: After you have the eyes secured, tie in 16 stands of UV pearl krystal flash behind them. Wrap the thread to secure them part way down the bend of the shank and trim the flash down to about a hook shank length.

Step 3:Next cut two silicone legs that are about two hook shank length long. Wrap the thread back up the to just behind the eyes and tie in the legs on each side of the hook shank wrapping down to where the krystal flash is tied in at. The legs should be tied in concave in, so that they each curve in towards each other.

Step 4: Spin some pearl UV ice dub onto the thread and wrap it to just in front of the bead chain eyes. The taper on the dubbing should be even and can be accomplished by doing a series of figure eights around the eyes.

Step 5: First tie in a length of brassie size copper wire just in front of the eyes, then tie in a white saddle hackle in base first.

Step 6: Make three wraps of the hackle, keeping each wrap tight to the previous one, then tie down and trim off the tip of the hackle feather. Now pull the hackle fibers down below the eyes and back toward the bend of the hook, so that there are no fibers sticking up on top of the fly. While hold the fibers back, wrap the thread over them back to the eyes. This will give them the look of shrimp legs.

Step 7:Spin some more dubbing onto the thread and dub forward to about 5% of a shank length behind the eye of the hook. Make sure to dub so that there is a smooth taper going from thick by the bead chain eyes to thin right behind the eye of the hook.

Step 8: Cut a piece of the Pliable Prismatic Sheet back material that is about the width of the gap of the hook and about of hook shank and a half long. Trim on end of the material so that it has a triangle taper. Tie in the material on top of the hook so that the tip of the triangle lines up with the end of the dubbing at the rear of the fly. Once it is secured trim the excess.

Step 9: Wrap the wire over the shellback as a rib, starting with the wraps further apart, but getting closer together as they near the eye of the hook. Tie the thread off, whip finish and head cement the fly.

Step 10: A view of the top of the fly