Shrimp
Also called shrimp pattern, shrimp fly
Shrimp are small crustaceans that many flats and inshore fish eat. “Shrimp” also refers to fly patterns tied to imitate their shape, color, and quick darting movement.
- Group
- Crustaceans & worms
- Category
- Entomology & forage
- Level
- Beginner
- Water
- Saltwater
Last updated
What Shrimp means
On flats and inshore coastlines, shrimp are a primary food source for species like bonefish, permit, and redfish. They live over sand, mud, turtle grass, and around mangroves, and they move in short bursts with pauses.
Shrimp fly patterns copy a few key cues: a slim, curved body, small legs or feelers, and a pale to tan, pink, or olive color. Many are tied with bead chain or small dumbbell eyes so the hook rides point-up and lands softly. Common examples are the Crazy Charlie and the Gotcha.
Most shrimp patterns are fished with short strips and brief pauses, keeping the fly near the bottom without dragging it. On a flat, the “right” shrimp often looks more like the local bottom color than a specific species of shrimp.
Why it matters on the water
A lot of saltwater eats happen when the fly changes speed. If the fly is moving like a baitfish, steady and continuous, fish that are keyed on shrimp will follow and refuse. A couple of short strips and a pause often gets the fly to look alive, then vulnerable.
Shrimp are small, so the rigging and presentation get touchy. A slim profile, a quiet landing, and a clean strip set help. When fish are spooky or the water is skinny, choosing a lighter-eyed shrimp and a longer, cleaner leader usually shows more fish the fly without blowing the shot.
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Read next
- BonefishA bonefish is a fast, silvery flats fish that feeds by tailing and rooting for shrimp, crabs, and small baitfish in shallow saltwater.
- Crazy CharlieA Crazy Charlie is a small, lightly weighted flats fly that suggests a shrimp or small baitfish. It is a common choice for bonefish and other shallow-water species.
- GotchaA Gotcha is a small, lightly weighted flats fly that imitates a shrimp, best known as a bonefish pattern.
- Strip setA strip set is a hook set made by pulling the fly line hard with the line hand while keeping the rod low, instead of lifting the rod tip.
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