Ghost White Mysis Shrimp
by @dekasso
Mysis Shrimp · Nymph
A ghost drifting through cold, clear water
A translucent white Mysis Shrimp on a size 16 scud hook, tied to drift for trout below reservoir dams.
A pale mysis shrimp fly with black eyes, a segmented clear back and a soft pink glow at the thorax. It is built from white Antron, clear Thin Skin and a monofilament rib over a bronze scud hook.
- Pattern
- Mysis Shrimp
- Imitates
- Mysis flushed from reservoirs through dam outflows
- When
- typically year-round, often heavier with flow changes
- Hook
- size 16
- Tippet
- 5Xrule of three
- Translucent clear back with ribbed segments
- Black mono eyes up front
- Pink thorax spot for the gut
- White Antron legs and tail
- Size 16 scud hook
On the water
Almost see-through at first glance. A clear segmented back, white legs fanning underneath, two black eyes up front and a blush of pink where the gut sits. Behind it, copper autumn leaves and a river running glassy and green.
Mysis wash out of reservoirs and tumble helpless through the tailwater, so this one wants a dead drift. Fish it under an indicator through seams and soft runs, close to the bottom, and let the current do the work.
Clear Thin Skin makes or breaks the look. Cut a strip the width of the hook gap, tie it in tight at the bend, and pull it forward snug over the body so the monofilament rib can press clean segments into it.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 5Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Rig on 6X or 7X fluorocarbon tippet; clear tailwater rewards a fine, quiet leader.
- Add split shot above the fly and set the indicator about one and a half times the water depth.
- Dead drift first; a slow lift at the end of the swing can show the legs moving.
Where and when
- Water
- Frying Pan River, Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado
- Hatch
- Mysis flushed from reservoirs through dam outflowstypically year-round, often heavier with flow changes
- Target
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout
- Water type
- Tailwaters below reservoirs, clear runs and seams
- Also fishes
- Also drifts well in deep lake inlets and slow, clear pools where small pale crustaceans and freshwater shrimp live.
Also on this water
- Mysis shrimpJan–Mar, Nov–Dec
- Green DrakeJul–Aug
- MidgeJan–Feb, Dec
Fished out of Basalt and Ruedi.
Make it yourself
Intermediate8 materials · 12 steps
- Pattern
- Mysis Shrimp
- Style
- Nymph
- Hook
- Tiemco 2457size 16
- Thread
- White 8/0
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- EyesBlack mono eyes
- TailWhite Antron yarn
- RibClear monofilament
- ShellbackClear Thin Skin
- BodyWhite Antron dubbing
- ThoraxPink Antron dubbing
- LegsWhite Antron yarn
- HeadWhite thread
Details
- Imitates
- Mysis shrimp
- Colors
- Translucent white, Pink, Black
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (12)
- Mount the hook in the vise and start the thread behind the eye, wrapping a short base back toward the bend.
- Tie the black mono eyes on top of the shank just behind the hook eye with tight figure-eight wraps.
- Tie in a sparse bunch of white Antron yarn at the bend as a tail, about half the shank length past the bend.
- Tie in the clear monofilament rib at the bend along the underside of the shank.
- Tie in a strip of clear Thin Skin at the bend, shiny side down, extending back over the tail.
- Dub a slim white Antron body forward to about two thirds of the shank.
- Dub a small ball of pink Antron for the thorax spot just behind the eyes.
- Tie in a short bunch of white Antron yarn under the thorax as legs, reaching back to mid-body.
- Pull the Thin Skin forward over the body and thorax and tie it down behind the eyes.
- Wrap the monofilament rib forward in even open turns over the Thin Skin, about six segments, and tie off.
- Trim the excess Thin Skin and rib, then build a small neat white thread head in front of the eyes.
- Whip finish and add a thin coat of head cement.
Proportions (5)
- Tail extends about half the shank length past the bend.
- Body stays slim, roughly the thickness of the eyes.
- Pink thorax spot covers the front third of the body.
- Legs reach back to about mid-body.
- Thin Skin strip as wide as the hook gap.
Tips (4)
- Pick the Antron dubbing out a little before wrapping so the body stays sparse and light passes through.
- Stretch the Thin Skin slightly as you pull it forward; it lies flatter and the segments look sharper.
- Keep thread wraps few and flat under the body so no bulk shows through the clear back.
- Comb the legs and tail with a dubbing brush after the whip finish to separate the fibers.
Common mistakes (4)
- Overdressing the body hides the translucency; use half the dubbing you think you need.
- Crowding the eye leaves no room for the head; stop the thorax a few thread wraps behind the eyes.
- Uneven rib spacing breaks the segmented look; count your turns and keep the gaps equal.
- A pink thorax that is too big reads as a bright bead; keep it a small, soft spot.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 16 · Materials only · 12 flies
$41.60
$3.47 a fly
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 10 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$6.50
- Black mono eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White Antron yarn$3.50
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$4.50
- White Antron dubbing$4.50
- Pink Antron dubbing$4.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 48 flies
$70.30
$1.46 a fly
Bought separately $74 · you save $3.70
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 10 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$13
- Black mono eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$5.90
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White Antron yarn$7
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$9
- White Antron dubbing$9
- Pink Antron dubbing$9
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 144 flies
$158.49
$1.10 a fly
Bought separately $180.10 · you save $21.61
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 8 more
Every item in this kit · 10 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$35
- Black mono eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$17.70
- Clear monofilament$9.75
Materials
- White Antron yarn$17.50
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$22.50
- White Antron dubbing$18
- Pink Antron dubbing$18
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$191.60
$15.97 a fly
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 19 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$6.50
- Black mono eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White Antron yarn$3.50
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$4.50
- White Antron dubbing$4.50
- Pink Antron dubbing$4.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 48 flies
$212.80
$4.43 a fly
Bought separately $224 · you save $11.20
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 19 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$13
- Black mono eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$5.90
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White Antron yarn$7
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$9
- White Antron dubbing$9
- Pink Antron dubbing$9
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 144 flies
$290.49
$2.02 a fly
Bought separately $330.10 · you save $39.61
Includes Tiemco 2457 · Black mono eyes · and 17 more
Every item in this kit · 19 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2457$35
- Black mono eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$17.70
- Clear monofilament$9.75
Materials
- White Antron yarn$17.50
- Other material: Clear Thin Skin$22.50
- White Antron dubbing$18
- Pink Antron dubbing$18
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
The creator
Remixes
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Where this came from
fly pattern · made
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- mysis
- mysis shrimp
- shrimp fly
- tailwater
- nymph
- trout
- white
- pink
- translucent
- thin skin
- scud hook
- fly tying