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Autumn Ghost Mysis Shrimp

by @sunny

Autumn Ghost Mysis Shrimp — a fly pattern by Sunny
More by @sunny

Mysis Shrimp · Nymph

A white ghost drifting through cold blue water

A size 16 Mysis shrimp nymph in white and clear, with black mono eyes, for trout in tailwaters below deep reservoirs.

A white Mysis shrimp with a clear glossy shellback, black eyes and a fringe of fine fibers. It is tied from white ice dub, white Antron, clear scud back and a coat of clear UV resin.

Pattern
Mysis Shrimp
Imitates
Mysis drift below reservoir dams, typically year-round and heaviest during high releases
Hook
size 16
Tippet
5Xrule of three
  • Clear scud back over white ice dub
  • Black mono eyes for a lifelike face
  • Picked-out fibers suggest legs and movement
  • Size 16 nymph for tailwater trout
  • Clear UV resin seals a glossy back

On the water

A nymph fly drifting above a cobble streambed

A slim white shrimp with a clear back that catches the light like wet glass. Two black eyes sit up front. Fine white fibers spray out from the belly and tail, soft as frost.

Fish it where cold water spills from a dam and the river runs blue-green over stones. Drift it dead under an indicator through seams and the tail of riffles, or let it swing up slowly at the end of the drift. Small and pale, it rides like the real shrimp washed down from the lake.

Picking out the ice dub is what brings it to life. Brush the belly with a dubbing brush after the shellback is down, so the fibers hang loose and translucent along the whole body.

A coiled leader, tippet spools and an open fly box on slate

Rigging

Tippet
5Xhook size divided by three
Leader
Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
  • Rig on 6X or 7X fluorocarbon tippet; the clear back looks best on a light line.
  • Add split shot above the knot to get it near the bottom in heavier current.
  • Dead-drift under a small indicator, or trail it behind a heavier nymph.

Where and when

The Frying Pan River
Water
Frying Pan River, Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado
Hatch
Mysis drift below reservoir dams, typically year-round and heaviest during high releases
Target
Rainbow trout, Brown trout
Water type
Tailwaters below deep reservoirs, riffles, seams and drop-offs
Also fishes
Also fishes in deep lakes and stillwaters with Mysis, and on freestone rivers as a pale scud or general shrimp imitation.

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 · 12 steps

Pattern
Mysis Shrimp
Style
Nymph
Hook
2X-long nymph hooksize 16
Thread
White 8/0
Fly-tying materials laid out on a dark bench

Materials in the order they go on the hook

  1. EyesBlack mono eyes, extra small
  2. TailWhite Antron yarn
  3. ShellbackClear scud back
  4. RibClear monofilament 6X
  5. BodyWhite ice dub
  6. HeadClear UV resin

Details

Imitates
Mysis shrimp
Colors
White, Clear, Black
A fly-tying vise holding a bare hook on a wooden bench

How to tie it

The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (12)
  1. Mount the hook and lay a thread base from the eye to just above the barb.
  2. Tie in the black mono eyes with figure-eight wraps one eye-width behind the hook eye.
  3. Tie in a sparse bunch of white Antron at the bend as a tail, about half a shank long.
  4. Tie in a strip of clear scud back at the bend, pointing back over the tail.
  5. Tie in the clear monofilament rib at the same point.
  6. Dub a slim, even body of white ice dub forward to the eyes, building slightly toward the thorax.
  7. Pull the scud back over the top of the body and tie it down just behind the eyes.
  8. Wrap the mono rib forward in five or six even turns to segment the back, and tie off.
  9. Figure-eight the scud back around the eyes and trim it to a short point past the hook eye.
  10. Brush the belly with a dubbing brush to pull out fibers for legs.
  11. Whip finish and trim the thread.
  12. Coat the back and head with a thin layer of clear UV resin and cure it.
Proportions (4)
  • Tail: about half the shank length, sparse.
  • Body: slim and even, roughly the hook gap in depth at its widest.
  • Eyes: set one eye-width behind the hook eye, extending slightly past each side.
  • Shellback: covers the full top from bend to eye, trimmed just past the hook eye.
Tips (4)
  • Keep everything sparse; Mysis shrimp are thin and see-through.
  • Stretch the scud back slightly as you pull it over so it lies flat and tight.
  • Use a thin coat of UV resin so the back stays clear and the fly stays light.
  • Comb the picked-out fibers back toward the tail before curing the resin.
Common mistakes (4)
  • Overdressed body: dub thin pinches so the shrimp stays translucent.
  • Resin on the fibers: keep the UV resin on the back and head only, away from the belly.
  • Eyes tied too far back: leave one eye-width behind the hook eye for the head.
  • Uneven rib: space the turns evenly before tying off, or the back bunches.
A dozen-fly materials kit laid out on slate with its recipe card.
The kit

Every kit size

Materials only

Size 16 · Materials only · 12 flies

$51.05

$4.25 a fly

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 8 more

Every item in this kit · 10 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$6.501 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$5.951 pack

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$2.951 spool
  • Clear monofilament 6X$3.251 spool

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$3.501 pack
  • Other material: Clear scud back$4.501 pack · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$4.501 dispenser
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 16 · Materials only · 48 flies

$68.88

$1.44 a fly

Bought separately $72.50 · you save $3.62

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 8 more

Every item in this kit · 10 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$132 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$11.902 packs

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$2.951 spool
  • Clear monofilament 6X$3.251 spool

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$3.501 pack
  • Other material: Clear scud back$92 packs · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$92 dispensers
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 16 · Materials only · 144 flies

$140.98

$0.98 a fly

Bought separately $160.20 · you save $19.22

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 8 more

Every item in this kit · 10 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$351 × 100 + 2 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$35.706 packs

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$8.853 spools
  • Clear monofilament 6X$9.753 spools

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$10.503 packs
  • Other material: Clear scud back$22.505 packs · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$184 dispensers
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

With vise & tools

Size 16 · With vise & tools · 12 flies

$201.05

$16.75 a fly

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 17 more

Every item in this kit · 19 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$6.501 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$5.951 pack

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$2.951 spool
  • Clear monofilament 6X$3.251 spool

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$3.501 pack
  • Other material: Clear scud back$4.501 pack · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$4.501 dispenser
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 16 · With vise & tools · 48 flies

$211.38

$4.40 a fly

Bought separately $222.50 · you save $11.12

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 17 more

Every item in this kit · 19 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$132 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$11.902 packs

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$2.951 spool
  • Clear monofilament 6X$3.251 spool

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$3.501 pack
  • Other material: Clear scud back$92 packs · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$92 dispensers
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 16 · With vise & tools · 144 flies

$272.98

$1.90 a fly

Bought separately $310.20 · you save $37.22

Includes 2X-long nymph hook · Black mono eyes · and 17 more

Every item in this kit · 19 items

Hooks & beads

  • 2X-long nymph hook$351 × 100 + 2 × 25 · size 16
  • Black mono eyes, extra small$35.706 packs

Thread & wire

  • White 8/0 thread$8.853 spools
  • Clear monofilament 6X$9.753 spools

Materials

  • White Antron yarn$10.503 packs
  • Other material: Clear scud back$22.505 packs · From the recipe row "Shellback"
  • White ice dub$184 dispensers
  • Clear UV resin$13.951 bottle

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

The creator

An illustrated portrait for Sunny (an illustration, not a photograph)

Sunny

@sunny

Strips it fast and stays for the grab.

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See everything by @sunny

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Where this came from

fly pattern · made

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  • mysis
  • shrimp
  • nymph
  • tailwater
  • trout
  • white
  • scud back
  • mono eyes
  • ice dub
  • fly tying