AmericanFlyFishing.com - Patterns: Fly Tying, Super Swimming Shrimp

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5/23/2013

Super Swimming Shrimp
By Jason Akl

Borski’s original Swimming Shrimp is a pattern that even the pickiest of bonefish have a hard time turning down but the new Super Swimming Shrimp is even better. Tim Borski has created a new variation of his original pattern that incorporates a few special features.

One of the best times to get and use this great fly pattern is when the summertime weather fades and the cooler and windier days take over. These changes in weather promote the bonefish to alter the areas they inhabit and start the spawning process.

Bonefish will make their way up and down the outside edges of the flats, crossing shallower points as they swim around. As the larger schools work across a section of water “pushes” of water can be seen. Cast the fly on the leading edge of the school and strip the fly as the fish approach. The action produced by the Super Swimming Shrimp will closely imitate the natural as it is trying to flee. If the fish are moving at a brisk pace cast the fly out in front of them and start stripping it quickly to keep up. The special buoyancy of the Swimming Shrimp will keep the fly moving through the water as fast as you can strip the line. Tie this fly in sizes 2-6.

Step 1 Start this fly by placing the hook into the vice securely and attaching the thread to the hook shank. Clip a small patch of calf tail and align the tips with your hair stacker. Tie this bunch white calf tail to the top of the hook shank at the point above the barb. Cut 5 orange Krystal flash fibers and double them over your line to make one single grouping of ten fibers. Lay this grouping of fibers on top of the hook shank and secure it in place with a few thread wraps.

Step 2 Onto the bottom of the hook shank tie in a pair of white/ red rubber legs extending off of the back of the fly. Advance the thread up the hook shank tying down the remainder of the rubber legs so that they extend over the hook eye an inch or so. Bring the thread back to the ½ mark on the hook shank and begin spinning deer hair up the remaining exposed hook shank. The first clump of hair that you spin should have the tips aligned so that it can be used as a collar. After you have spun three groupings of deer hair onto the hook shank tie in a pair of the lead free prismatic eyes on to the top of the hook shank. Continue spinning deer hair until you reach the back of the hook eye. Whip finish the thread and cement the head thoroughly.

Step 3 With a sharp pair of scissors carefully trim the head so that it becomes significantly tapered towards the front of the fly. Do not cut back too far into the deer hair because you want to leave the first grouping of deer hair you stacked unharmed as a collar for the fly. Trim the bottom of the head off flat and cement the head of the fly lightly.

Click photos to enlarge

Products for this fly:
•	Tiemco TMC 811S Hooks
•	Uni 3/0 Tying Thread
•	Spirit River Prismatic Tape Eyes
•	Wapsi Deer Body Hair
•	Krystal Flash
•	Wapsi Calf Tail
•	Wapsi Round Rubber

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