The Syn Minnow

Recipe
Hook: Mustad 3366 (Size 4)
Thread: White Flat Waxed Nylon
Underbody: Hareline Silver Holographic Dubbing
Body: Layer 1 = Puglisi EP Filers (Polar Bear)
Layer 2 = Pearl Hareline Ice Wing
Layer 3 = 3 Strands Krystal Flash
Layer 4 = Spirit River Polaraire
Head: Dubbed Spirit River Polaraire or Any Synthetic Dubbing Material
Eyes: Holographic Eyes
Weight: None

So many of us choose to tie on weight forward, or heavily weighted flies for river smallmouth. I know I tie on all sorts of weighted offerings all the time. I always felt like I needed the extra weight to "get the fly down" to the fish. I know now it is a mistake to ignore unweighted flies in a river.

The swimming action of this pattern is awesome. I took it out to test and the crappies wouldn't leave it alone, especially when the fly was stopped and drifting down in the water column. This is the beautiful thing about flies, they move differently than hard lures. This little guy swims towards the surface and really resembles a wounded baitfish. Weight would ruin the action of this minnow, so leave it off!

I got this minnow from a post on The Bass Pond, another Yuku site I hit. It needs holographic eyes in a bad way, but you get the idea (they are in transit from a mail order house).I really like the simplicity and built up body of this fly - EP Fibers, Ice Wing, Krystal Flash and Polaraire. You can't see it very well in the picture, but the holographic dubbing on the underbody is a very nice touch.

At the vise this minnow feels like a smaller, simpler Murdich Minnow. On the water it performs just as nicely too! This is another one I have big plans for this summer!