Muddler Minnows!

[Santiago]

These are the first muddler minnows that I've ever tied. I don't have any turkey tail feathers so I used the mystery feathers (Kestrel) for the tails and pheasant tail feathers for the wings. They're on size 8 and 10 hooks.

They don't look much like the muddler minnows in two of my fly tying books but the two in the books look don't look like each other either! Anyways, I'm sure they'll catch a few perch out, even though their heads are a wee big. Something to work on!

[Ian]

They are spot on Santiago.I can see the sea trout having a liking for them,and the perch of course

[Iasgair]

I really like how you are trying new patterns and not being intimidated by them.

Well done.

[Santiago]

Cheers both! Thanks for your kind comments!

[Olly]

I wouldn't worry what its made from - especially if it catches!

As a 14 year-old I was given a fly line, silk, so gave it a go using a solid fibreglass spinning rod, but cannot remember the reel though. But the flies I do remember - a few bits of horse hair from an old chair wrapped around a hook. I ventured to the Mole in West Molesey and had an exceptional day of catching 6-8in chub one after the other on this concoction. Just cast and dragged back - absolutely no finesse!

[Santiago]

I couldn't agree more Olly. I remember one trip with my son and he was using his own tyed pheasant tail nymph and the more tatty it got as he caught grayling, the more and more fish he caught, and by last light there wasn't much of it left but he still kept on catching.

[Sussex Micky]

Lovely job trevor..when i use to fish for Trout many years ago, l always found the muddler minnow deadly..these are fine

[Silfield]

I couldn't agree more Olly. I remember one trip with my son and he was using his own tyed pheasant tail nymph and the more tatty it got as he caught grayling, the more and more fish he caught, and by last light there wasn't much of it left but he still kept on catching.

Just goes to prove that most commercial flies are there to catch the angler not the fish!
When learning to fly fish I used to practice my casting on the river Yare as it was only a stones throw from the house. A bloodworm imitation, after a few casts into the bushes and the fence behind, looked more like a piece of red wool impaled on a hook but the Dace loved it.

[MWithell]

I used to catch chub and dace in the Ember (tributary of the Mole) on my own feather and thread concoctions. A very basic black and peacock spider was as good as anything.

[Robbi]

I used to catch chub and dace in the Ember (tributary of the Mole) on my own feather and thread concoctions. A very basic black and peacock spider was as good as anything.

Down by the police grounds in Molesey.?