Frying Pan Blush Mysis Shrimp
by @john
Mysis Shrimp · Nymph
Ghost-pale shrimp in turquoise canyon water
A translucent mysis shrimp nymph on a size 16 scud hook, in white and blush pink, for trout feeding below reservoir dams.
A slim mysis shrimp nymph with a glassy pink-white body, black eyes and feathery antennae. A clear scud back and mono rib cover white ice dub, with pale marabou at both ends.
- Pattern
- Mysis Shrimp
- Imitates
- Mysis shrimp flushed from a reservoir into the tailwater
- When
- typically year-round, heavier with high releases
- Hook
- size 16
- Tippet
- 5Xrule of three
- Translucent clear scud back over white dub
- Black mono eyes and white antennae
- Size 16 Tiemco 2488 scud hook
- Picked-out ice dub legs catch light
- Tied for reservoir tailwater trout
On the water
A pale shrimp, almost see-through, with a faint blush. Two black eyes sit up front behind a plume of white antennae. Sparkle legs hang under a clear, segmented back, and red canyon walls glow behind it.
Fish it in the cold, clear runs below a dam, where tiny shrimp tumble out of the reservoir. Dead-drift it near the bottom of soft seams, or let it swing slowly at the end of the drift.
Clear scud back is the part to get right. Stretch it gently as you pull it over, so it lies thin and glassy and the white body glows through each rib segment.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 5Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Run it on 6X fluorocarbon under a small indicator, set so the fly rides just off the bottom.
- Add split shot above the knot in faster seams; go lighter in slow, glassy tailouts.
- Pair it behind a larger nymph, or let it dead-drift alone through soft water.
Where and when
- Water
- Frying Pan River, Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado
- Hatch
- Mysis shrimp flushed from a reservoir into the tailwatertypically year-round, heavier with high releases
- Target
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout
- Water type
- Tailwaters below deep reservoirs: slow runs, seams and soft tailouts
- Also fishes
- Any cold tailwater below a deep lake, and stillwater edges where shrimp drift near dropoffs.
Also on this water
- Mysis shrimpJan–Mar, Nov–Dec
- Green DrakeJul–Aug
- MidgeJan–Feb, Dec
Fished out of Basalt and Ruedi.
Make it yourself
Intermediate6 materials · 10 steps
- Pattern
- Mysis Shrimp
- Style
- Nymph
- Hook
- Tiemco 2488size 16
- Thread
- White 8/0
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- EyesBlack mono eyes
- TailWhite marabou
- ShellbackClear scud back
- RibClear monofilament
- BodyWhite ice dub
- AntennaeWhite marabou
Details
- Imitates
- Mysis shrimp
- Colors
- White, Pale pink, Pearl, Black
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (10)
- Mount the hook and lay a white 8/0 thread base from eye to bend.
- Tie in the black mono eyes with figure-eight wraps, one eye-length behind the hook eye.
- At the bend, tie in a sparse tuft of white marabou, about half a shank long.
- Tie in a strip of clear scud back on top at the bend, then a length of clear mono on the near side.
- Dub a slim tapered body of white ice dub forward to just behind the eyes.
- Pull the scud back over the top, stretching it lightly, and tie it down behind the eyes.
- Wrap the mono rib forward in five or six even turns to segment the back, then tie it off.
- Dub a little ice dub in figure-eights around the eyes.
- Tie in white marabou ahead of the eyes, extending about half a shank past the hook eye, for antennae.
- Whip finish, trim, and pick out the ice dub on the underside with a dubbing brush for legs.
Proportions (5)
- Tail: about half the shank length, sparse.
- Body: slim, tapering slightly toward the bend, no thicker than the eyes.
- Eyes: set about one eye-width behind the hook eye.
- Antennae: roughly half a shank past the hook eye.
- Legs: picked-out fibers reaching just below the hook point.
Tips (4)
- Keep every material sparse; the whole fly should look see-through when held to the light.
- Wet the marabou before tying in to control the fibers.
- Brush the legs out only on the belly so the back stays clean and segmented.
- Use flat thread wraps under the body to keep it slim.
Common mistakes (4)
- A fat body hides the translucence; dub thin and build the taper slowly.
- Overstretching the scud back can snap it; pull firm but not tight.
- Crowding the eye leaves no room for antennae; leave a clear gap from the start.
- Uneven rib wraps spoil the segmentation; space them by eye before tying off.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 16 · Materials only · 12 flies
$38.55
$3.21 a fly
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 7 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$6.50
- Black mono eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White marabou$4.95
- Other material: Clear scud back$4.50
- White ice dub$4.50
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 48 flies
$71.11
$1.48 a fly
Bought separately $74.85 · you save $3.74
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 7 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$13
- Black mono eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White marabou$19.80
- Other material: Clear scud back$9
- White ice dub$9
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 144 flies
$163.02
$1.13 a fly
Bought separately $185.25 · you save $22.23
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 7 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$35
- Black mono eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$8.85
- Clear monofilament$9.75
Materials
- White marabou$49.50
- Other material: Clear scud back$22.50
- White ice dub$18
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$188.55
$15.71 a fly
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 16 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$6.50
- Black mono eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White marabou$4.95
- Other material: Clear scud back$4.50
- White ice dub$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
$213.61
$4.45 a fly
Bought separately $224.85 · you save $11.24
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 16 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$13
- Black mono eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$2.95
- Clear monofilament$3.25
Materials
- White marabou$19.80
- Other material: Clear scud back$9
- White ice dub$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
$295.02
$2.05 a fly
Bought separately $335.25 · you save $40.23
Includes Tiemco 2488 · Black mono eyes · and 16 more
Every item in this kit · 18 items
Hooks & beads
- Tiemco 2488$35
- Black mono eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- White 8/0 thread$8.85
- Clear monofilament$9.75
Materials
- White marabou$49.50
- Other material: Clear scud back$22.50
- White ice dub$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
- scud back
- frying pan
- white
- pink