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Make like a minnow
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When the baitfish binge is on, these 10 unique fly patterns are proven producers
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By Paul Marriner, photos by Eric Forget
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The tactic of using little fish to catch big fish is as ancient as the hook itself. It's only in the last few centuries, however, that anglers have started to replace live bait with artificial lures and flies. For fly tiers, that means relying on special materials, shapes and presentations to accurately mimic swimming baitfish. While there are countless patterns to choose from these days, the following classics and newer creations are my favourites. Not only do they look and swim just like the real thing, they also catch fish.
1. Northern Redbelly Dace
Mike Fuller of Mike's Fly Shop in Hammond, Ontario, created a series of baitfish imitations that's proven effective on several different species, particularly the larger brook trout of northwestern Ontario. In the White River region, for example, his Northern Redbelly Dace have been most effective when slow-trolled at depths between 10 and 17 feet using a full-sinking line and 12-foot leader. Fuller's flies have also done well when fished with a floating line.
HOOK: Mustad 9575, size 4
THREAD: 6/0 tan
TAIL: 3/8-inch yellow polycore from Superweave Mylar tubing
WEIGHT (optional): 12 to 16 turns of medium (.025-inch) lead, behind end of looped eye
UNDERBODY: yellow wool or chenille-like material
BODY: yellow Superweave Mylar tubing
BELLY: red bucktail, sparse with yellow hackle throat
WING: tan, black and brown bucktail with black pearl Flashabou between black and brown bucktail
EYES: white iris, black pupil
2. M.W. Golden Shiner
During the 2003 Canadian National Fly Fishing Championships and Conservation Symposium in Russell, Manitoba, I had the chance to fish several outstanding local trout lakes. In one particular lake, the brown trout were corralling baitfish, then slashing through the bunched school to stun as many of their prey as possible. While my Woolly Bugger failed to produce any trout, it did hook one of their targets, a golden shiner. In the hospitality tent that evening, I asked expert fly tier Mac Warner to tie an imitation of it for me. He smiled and whipped one off in a minute or so. It was rough- looking-until I stripped it through the water the next day. The browns hammered it, clearly taking it for another hapless shiner. Since then, I've been tying what I call the M.W. Golden Shiner.
HOOK: 2X-long wet fly, size 6
THREAD: 8/0 black
BODY: None, but partly cover the shank with thread
WING: UV pearl under gold under black, Diamond Wing Fibre
HEAD: black
TYING TIP: Use a sharp blade to shape the wing
3. Clouser Deep Minnow
In reality a fly-rod jig, this Bob Clouser creation has probably landed more different species of fish than any other pattern. I've enjoyed particularly good action with the Deep Minnow while fishing for coho off the B.C. coast. I remember one time when the salmon snatched my fly with wild abandon as they busted an anchovy bait-ball driven from a kelp bed. Such savage action can have an incredible effect-your blood runs hot and pounds in your ears as you share in the carnage. If your fly isn't grabbed after three strips, lift and recast. The presentation is so exciting, it's hard to revert to the typically successful Clouser method, which is to swim the fly with a lift and drop, or bounce it slowly along the bottom.
HOOK: standard wet fly (stainless steel for saltwater), size 4
EYES: lead or other metal dumbbell eyes
BELLY: white bucktail
WING: 10 strands of pearl Krystal Flash under chartreuse bucktail
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