The Bonefish Squimp is arguably one of the most successful shrimp patterns ever developed for saltwater fly fishing. Designed to imitate a fleeing shrimp, its realistic profile, subtle flash, and enticing movement make it a favourite for bonefish, permit, and many other species that hunt crustaceans on shallow flats.
Fed’s Bonefish Squimp Variant, inspired by Jesse Males’ Backwater Fly Fishing Bonefish Squimp pattern, combines a proven saltwater fly design with modern synthetic materials that offer durability, a lifelike profile, and excellent casting performance. The translucent Fly Tier’s Dungeon FF Braid body and stripped pearl tail produce a natural shimmer in the water, while the Fly Tier’s Dungeon Congo Plus wing creates a lifelike silhouette without adding unnecessary bulk. White dumbbell eyes invert the hook for a hook-point-up presentation, and the sparkle chenille head with a subtle geranium tinge provides just enough visual attraction to draw attention without overpowering the fly.
Why Fish the Bonefish Squimp?
Shrimp are a primary food source for countless saltwater species, making the Bonefish Squimp an exceptionally versatile fly pattern. The weighted dumbbell eyes give the fly its distinctive jigging action while ensuring it rides hook point up, helping reduce snagging over sand, rubble, and sparse weed beds.
Short strips followed by brief pauses allow the fly to imitate a startled shrimp darting across the bottom before settling back onto the substrate. This natural presentation is often enough to entice even cautious fish into striking.
Although originally developed for bonefish on tropical flats, Fed’s variant is equally suited to Australian conditions and should prove effective on species such as whiting, flathead, bream, trevally, queenfish, and other saltwater predators that feed on prawns and shrimp.
Materials (Fed’s Variant)
- Hook:Eye forward Salmon size 2 or 4.
- Thread:Natural coloured Woolly Nylon.
- Tail:FTD* FF Braid pearl, stripped.
- Legs:Barred silli legs.
- Eyes:White dumbbell.
- Head:White cactus chenille w/geranium textured tinge.
- Body:FTD FF Braid diamond.
- Wing:FTD Congo Plus gray
* Fly Tyers Dungeon
Note: Paul uses white sparkle chenille coloured with a geranium marker to give the head a subtle reddish tinge, mimicking the natural colouration of a shrimp. If you don’t have the same materials, feel free to substitute any similar chenille, such as cactus chenille in shrimp or pink tones, to achieve a comparable effect.
Tying Instructions
- Pre-crush the hook barb.
- Tie in the pearl FF Braid tail, then strip away the braid fibres.
- Tie in one barred silli leg on each side of the hook.
- Secure the white dumbbell eyes on top of the hook shank using figure-eight wraps.
- Tie in the white cactus chenille and use figure-eight wraps to cover the dumbbell eyes.
- Rotate the hook in the vice so it rides point up.
- Tie in the FF Diamond Braid and wrap it forward to form the body, finishing behind the hook eye.
- Tie in a sparse wing of grey FTD Congo Plus.
- Whip finish, apply a coat of UV resin to the thread wraps, and cure with a UV torch.
