Muddler Minnows

[Ray Kunz]

They are designed with a spun deer hair head which floats them yet they are designed to represent a underwater bait fish. Why Isn't weighting expected?

[ScottP]

Ray,

I tie them weighted and unweighted. With the unweighted ones, I get the head good and wet, sometimes rubbing it into the mud to make it sink, just not as fast or deep as one tied with a cone head or non-tox wraps on the shank. Sometimes I fish them dry, too (killer for bass) until the head soaks up the water.

Regards,
Scott

[rainbowchaser]

A.J. Mclane who's articles were mostly responsible for the early popularity of the muddler often fished it with a small split shot just in front of the fly. Most early muddlers did not have the tightly packed head of many we see today so they could be sunken easier by wetting them as Scott suggests. Another option would be the use of a sinking or sink tip line such as Kelly Galloup advocates for his deer hair head streamers.

[Rick Z]

I saw a variant that used black chenille for the head. Called the fly a Thief.
Sinbks well.
Rick

[ScottP]

I saw a variant that used black chenille for the head. Called the fly a Thief.
Sinbks well.
Rick

Dan Gapen's Thief



I tied mine with an ostrich herl head but chenille would work fine, too.

Regards,
Scott