Friday, September 2, 2011

The Park Shrimp

The Park Shrimp was designed by Ross MacDonald, as near as I can tell around 2009.  I'm getting ready for a trip to the Miramichi the week of September 18-25, and this shrimp feels like it just might work.


The pattern, which I found on both http://www.salmon-ireland.com/ and http://www.salmonfishingforum.com/:

Hook:           Salmon hook, single or double, du jour
Tag:             Oval gold tinsel to suit hook size
Tail:             Bottom layer:  Orange Arctic Runner about hook length with two strands orange flash
                     Middle layer:  Yellow Arctic Runner twice as long as bottom and top layers with a few       
                         strands of  gold flash (I used Yellow Polar Bear)                                      
                     Top layer:  Orange Arctic Runner equal to bottom layer
Rear Body:   Gold Lite Brite
Front Body: Black Seal fur (I used black uni-stretch)
Rib:              Oval gold tinsel to suit hook size, across both rear and front bodies.  Original recipe appears 
                         to call for pearl tinsel.
Wing:            Black fox (I used goat) with gold flash over
Hackle:         Yellow wound on first; tie on Jungle Cock eyes, wind on Silver Badger dyed orange.
Head:             Red

Notes:            I've never used Arctic Runner before; pricey stuff, that!  It has some of the same transluscence as Polar Bear, really lovely stuff.  Also never used Lite Brite dubbing before.  It doesn't look like its going to cooperate at all, but in fact twists onto the thread very easily and nicely.

I'm looking forward to swinging this shrimp and reporting back after the trip!




7 comments:

  1. Gary..That fly reminds me of an Orange Blossom Special. Nice work and good luck on your trip.

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  2. Hi Gary,

    Cool flies! I'm just getting into fly fishing and actually found your blog through one of your eBay listings. I've been enjoying reading it so far. Looking forward to reading more!

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  3. Hi Gary, nice tying.

    I began with prototypes of this around 2005/06. It found its final form in 2007. It has proved a big hit in the UK and Europe. But did it catch a fish on the Miramichi??


    best wishes

    Ross Macdonald
    Aberdeen, Scotland

    rj_macd@yahoo.co.uk

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  4. Ross, I didn't fish it as much as I would like, since I was getting my first opportunity to fish my Celtic Beauty. It sure has all the hallmarks of a fly that will fool fish on the Miramichi in the fall, and I'll try again next year!

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  5. Just a thought. You might try some Ice Dubbing for rear and front of that body and use a dubbing loop ( put 'em in the loop together ) as you will be able to easily adjust the amount of dubbing. Also, build up the black dubbing slightly forward so when you wind hackle it will be perpendicular to hook shank, the hackle will breathe, maybe consider using dyed guinea. I don't know if the Atlantics like flies with a little action........just some random thoughts from a trout/steelhead fisherman, Fred

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