The Fly Swap III: Ian's Polar Shrimp

We've seen Ian McNemar patterns on this blog before. They are meticulous and display a heightened sensitivity to color, materials, proportion, and finish, and this take on the classic Polar Shrimp should have steelhead shaking in their scales.
Taking a cue from Matt "MJ" Jones' Lady Catherine Variation, Ian as also used Angora goat dubbing in this fly to impart a buggy aesthetic. While the fly is rather sparsely dressed with long orange hackle fibers in a minimalist ethic, the red tail and tinsel ribbing bridge the gap between the modern and the traditional schools of steelhead fly design.

Of particular interest in this fly is the beautifully finished head. Pay close attention to the compact series of wraps and the neat length of shank between the head and hook eye.
Steelhead tyers categorically take their technique seriously, and tying a neat, compact head is often the ultimate goal of a serious tyer (besides, of course, hooking a bright chrome hen on a favorite coastal river). To achieve a head of this caliber, simply use fewer wraps and approach the finish with more confidence. As with all forms of functional art, practice counts.


Evan LeBon is a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com

photos provided by Ian McNemar, a regular contributor to beyondthebug.com