Scottish Shrimp Needle Tubes
Illustrated below is a selection of small tube flies dressed in the style I think of as Scottish Shrimps. These examples are dressed very simply on stainless steel needle tubes, length 15mm, diameter 1.5mm. The overall length of a Scottish Shrimp needle tube fly is normally somewhere between an inch and a half and two and a half inches (varying with the length of tube selected and the preferred length of the tail), suitable for a wide range of fishing situations and conditions, be it Scottish salmon fishing in fairly normal conditions of water and weather or Pacific salmon and steelhead fishing in summer or in low clear water.
Scottish Shrimp Flies consist of very few components, comprising a long tail of bucktail (single colour or more often a mix of two colours) with the optional addition of a few strands of flash; a short underbelly of bucktail or squirrel tail; a wing of bucktail about two thirds the length of the tail; two hackles of contrasting or complementary colour. Colours of each component may be varied as desired, as can the length of tube and dressing. Tube flies along these same lines may, for example, be tied on longer tubes to create a larger offering, as in these Intruder Tube Flies
The tubes are armed here with free-swinging hooks, Kamasan B983, size 8, in heat shrink Knot Guards but may be secured more conventionally in silicone or PVC hook link junction tubing.
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Scottish Shrimp Tube Fly Sizes
Scottish Shrimps may be dressed in a range of sizes on various lengths of tube, to suit fishing situations and conditions. The flies shown below are dressed on 10mm and 15mm long stainless steel needle tubes, 1.5mm diameter. The overall fly lengths of such tubes ranges generally from 1.5 to 2.5 inches but may be dressed in any length and density of dressing.
See more on the tying of Scottish Shrimp Needle Tube Flies