You only have to run a fine mesh net through a weed bank in almost any freshwater impoundments to find out if populations of Shrimp are present. Shrimp are true crustaceans of the family Isopod  and whilst there are many species throughout Australia they are similar in form and habit. Most are between 15 and 25 mm in length have segmented bodies that are almost clear with an olive to tan hue and have distinct legs.

Whilst it can be messy working with epoxy on small flies its well worth the effort as this fly is readily accepted by fish if twitched along or above weed beds or detritus matter.

The shrimp shells used in these flies have been developed by Alan Barber of  Tiewell and also finish off a very nice yabby.             

	Shrimp shell prawn and nipper

Materials shrimp shell shrimp

Materials shrimp shell yabby

Process

A	Wind the thread in touching turns to the bend of the hook. Understanding hooks Tie in small bunch of arctic fox or marabou at the bend of the hook to represent the sieves and other mouth parts. Make the mouth parts about as long as the hook shank so that they will create some movement in the water. Tie in a feeler on each side of the mouth parts that are about one and a half times the length of the hook shank. Tie the hackle in at the bend of the hook. Wet fly hackle

B	Dub on a thorax section along the rear third of the hook shank. Dubbing techniques Palmer the hackle back along the thorax tie it off at behind the thorax and trim the excess. Three or four  turns of the hackle are enough. When you trim the excess hackle off it is best to trim the hackle fibres protruding above the top of the fly so that there not in the way when the shrimp shell is fitted. Palmering hackle Take the thread to the bend of the hook.

C	Starting 95% position dub on a body that starts at almost nothing and increases uniformly along the body until it is two thirds the thickness of the thorax when it reaches the thorax. Mix a small amount of epoxy and put a small amount along the top of the fly. Working with epoxy

D	Take the shrimp shell that you cut out earlier and bend it along the imaginary centre line. This will allow it to sit on top of the fly better. Place the shrimp shell directly on top of the lite coat of epoxy on top of the fly and wind the thread to the eye of the hook following the segment lines printed on the shrimp shell. Tie the thread of and trim the excess. Spread a small amount of  epoxy over the top of the shrimp shell and then rotate the fly until the epoxy is almost going off. At the last moment you can invert the fly so that the epoxy sags a little creating a slight bulge on the shrimp shell over the thorax.