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I am tying a bunch of patterns for an august trip to the Tampa area. It seems like a lot of the shrimp patterns I am finding are all hook down models. Is there a special reason for this? Would I be out of line by going the other way? I am thinling less weedless is the way to go- or is it? I firmly believe in thinking outside of the box but I wanted to make sure I was not missing something.
Thanks, and take care
That's a good question. I think most shrimp patterns are tied hook down to allow the tier to work unobstructed at that end (eyes and stuff). I don't think it works better. In fact, I prefer hook up flies. Try tying your favorite shrimp pattern, but modify the hook bend-back style first. This will have it ride hook up and keep the hook bend somewhat out of the way for tying. Don't forget to tie it "upside down".
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Ed Mercado
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I tie most of my shrimp patterns hook side down simply because you'll find that most shrimp that come thru the Tampa Bay area (where I live) have a tendecy to just drift thru with the currents. YEs they will stop for a moment during a still tide and hunker down in the grass beds, but when the tide heads back out, so too will the shrimp.
A lot of these places that have such tidal flow are deeper than the normal skinny waters that bight attract a bonefish in the keys (which stalk their prey on the bottom). These tidal flows are cuts, shorelines along channels and passes, beach swashes and cuts through flats.
Now, if you've never been to Florida during August, you will not understand why that is so important to fish the deeper cuts. See, we are running about a month late on our weather this year, due to all the spring cold fronts we've had. That will push the "dog days of summer" back to August.
During that time, fish get hot just like you do. Forget trying to fish during the sweltering heat of the day in shallow water. The fish just wouldn't be there. Very early mornings or late in the afternoons will be the ticket. If you are wading a flat, try the mornings on a high tide. The fish will come up to your shrimp and take it. During lower tides, fish the deeper cuts that run thru the flats or the drop offs of the flat.
Fish the tidal current almost like a salmon stream with your shrimp. Mend your line and give it a couple of quick strips, then let it drift. I like to fish my subsurface shrimp patterns near the top and will through to rocks and structure in these currents for snook. When the fly lands, I like to try to skip it a few times on the surface before I make my drift, which will attract fish. I'll also tie in a clear thin packing material foam (same thickness used in a gurgler) tied in to make a gurgler. The spitting water on the surface will also bring a surface bite.
However, I will tie my same shrimp pattern in a hookside up style and tie in clouser eyes for a sinking shrimp and work it slowly to get it deep and drawl a strike. So if they will not take the surface or subsurface shrimp, you can cover the rest of the water colume to find where the fish want to be.
You can also tie small shrimp patterns on #4, tie up or down along the beaches in the early morning or late in the afternoons, where the water laps the beach for crusing snook that look like bonefish coming down the way.
Also, on either a full or new moon, the fish will turn to feeding at night where it is cooler. The bite can be great if you know where to go.
Send me an e-mail where you get closer to when you are coming down and I will give you a more accurate report on where to go and what to use.
Ted