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 Post subject: Improved MM Minnow.....
PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 2:36 pm • # 1 
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This fly continues to amaze me, it isn't so much different than a lot of other sub-surface flies, yet it will catch a wide variety of fish. When top-water isn't working....this fly gets the call. When the wind seems to mess-up surface fishing...this one can save the day. I have changed the way I tie it over the last year or so and decided to pass along my changes....so here goes.

8/0 thread (you can use 6/0)
size 8 or 10 hook
Two different colors of marabou 'your choice' (green/black, green/red, green/orange, black/red, and pink/black) work well
Flash...(either siver or gold)
Bead-chain eyes (small dumbell eyes would work too)
Ca glue (or head-cement)

I normally use a wet or streamer hook size 10.....this example is a Daiichi 1280 size 8 (dry fly hook)
I used one size larger bead-chain than normal because this one is intended for smallies in the river current.

01. Thread base back to the bend

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02. Tie in a contrasting tail of marabou / cut off excess

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03. Tie in the bead-chain eyes (figure eight)...drop of CA on hook between eyes helps to stop eye twisting

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04. Fold a 6" piece of flash in half and tie the center on the side of the hook behind the eyes

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05. Fold the front part of the flash over to the other side of the hook and tie in

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06. Tie in the marabou body/wing on top of the hook behind the eyes (do not trim off excess)

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07. Twist excess marabou into a rope and pull between eyes and tie off just in front of eyes (do not trim)

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08. Pull marabou rope back over eyes and tie off behind eyes (neck)

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09. Cut away excess marabou

10. Build a small nose then whip-finish just behind the eyes (neck)

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11. Trim flash just a little longer than the fly

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12. CA glue (or head-cement) thread wraps underside of neck

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13. I made the tail on this one just a bit shorter than I normally do (for river current)

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Those of you that fish droppers....This would make an execellent one (size 10 or 12 w/smaller bead-chain eyes)

My favorite color and size 10 is pictured below. (These flys hold up very well....don't often come apart !!)

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 2:56 pm • # 2 
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Location: Chicopee, MA
Killer, great tie :)


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 4:36 pm • # 3 
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You guys that can tie need to take heed...I have caught gill, channel cat, spotted, lm and sm bass and recently a good sized grass carp, (my first) ,all on the Loop MM minnow...I have about 5 flies I fish sub surface with confidence and this is one of them...Thanks Loop!!!


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 10:20 pm • # 4 
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Location: WI
I really like this fly. I have been looking for something to entice Smallies with down on the WI river.
How do you fish it, cast up and across current and let it drift, or downstream and strip it back?
Thanks Don, I'm going to whip up a few this weekend.


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 10:24 am • # 5 
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Location: Piedmont Lake Ohio
loop that mm minner is a catfish'n machine !!! heck it's been banned here in Ohio on some lakes hee heee :rollin
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 1:07 pm • # 6 
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If you prick an apple with a MM does it turn into a catfish :lol :lol


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:41 am • # 7 
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Joe C wrote:
If you prick an apple with a MM does it turn into a catfish :lol :lol


uhm not shure maybe but my x girlfriend alway's said that kiss'n toads thing never worked ...heeee heeee


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 2:06 pm • # 8 
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As for fishing the MM Minnow........In the river I like to stand at the head (upstream) side of a pool and toss the fly right across the pool and retrive it through the pool where the current borders the still water. Most Smallies seem to come out of the still water at the edge of the current. Also, throw across the current and strip it into the still water behind bolders and so forth....For smallies I strip the fly a little faster than I do fishing for "Gills" and such. For lake fishing.......I like to throw this fly parallel the shore line, wading or from a boat, (preferably where the bottom drops off to deeper water). Also, Stripping it back on the deep-water side of a rock or brush pile can be deadly too. Let the fly sink (the MM's I use for gills have a little smaller bead-chain eyes) using short strips allowing the fly to fall a little between strips. "BE READY" many strikes come when the fly is falling (keep a tite line). And of course if it is HOT.....always look for shade (shade is KING) especially if it is covering rocks or under-water brush. You never know what you are going to catch with this fly..........I guess anything that will chase a minnow will hit this thing....Good luck all, and please post pictures of anything you catch with this concoction.../Keep it all fun > BE SAFE....Don in SC

If you happen to find a school of White-Bass off a rocky point......Hook-ups with an MM minnow can ALMOST become "boring".....I LOVE that kind or boredom.........Don in SC

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 3:41 pm • # 9 
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Hey Don, I've seen large strick indicators before but a soda can? What kind of fish yank that one under :lol Talk about having to use an open loop with your 3wt ;)


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:33 pm • # 10 
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Very nice!. I'll tie a couple for the next outing.


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:46 pm • # 11 
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Joe...........I hate to say it.....but I have NEVER used an indicator. The closest I have ever come is the few times I fished a dropper beneath a foam spider. I never really got the hang of that....too many tangles on the forward cast. I am going to give the droppers another try, throwing more of an open loop....who-knows, might work. .........Don in SC

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:45 pm • # 12 
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I like the looks and simplicity of this pattern!
Just ordered a variety of colors of marabou so I can tie up several.


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 3:42 pm • # 13 
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excellent tutorial; thanks for sharing-p-


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:01 pm • # 14 
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Tied up a few with what marabou I had on hand (red tail/yellow body) and tried them out.
The 'gills approved of the pattern!


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 11:28 pm • # 15 
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wabi wrote:
Tied up a few with what marabou I had on hand (red tail/yellow body) and tried them out.
The 'gills approved of the pattern!
Put up a pic please, interested in seeing your variation.


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PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 9:17 am • # 16 
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I was in a hurry and forgot to add flash. :o
I tried 3 colors of bead chain eyes, but the first one I tied on worked fine (orange eyes) and I didn't change the fly (because it was working :D ).
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:44 pm • # 17 
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wabi wrote:
I was in a hurry and forgot to add flash. :o
I tried 3 colors of bead chain eyes, but the first one I tied on worked fine (orange eyes) and I didn't change the fly (because it was working :D ).
Image


Psychedelic! :rollin


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:40 am • # 18 
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If my dog tags weren't sitting on my desk at work, I'd be cutting up the chain for these instead of posting. Gonna hit up the uniform store tomorrow and get some bead chain.


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