How to fish a muddler minnow

The muddler minnow is one of the most popular fly patterns in the world. The standard version of the fly pattern has a deer hair head, a gold tinsel body, and a "wing" consisting of a section of a turkey quill feather and white impala hair. The muddler minnow first became popular in 1949, and is still fished regularly by anglers around the globe. Renowned author and fly fisherman Tom McNally has used the muddler minnow to catch every species of freshwater North American gamefish except inconnu.

Things You'll Need

  • Fly rod
  • Fly reel
  • Fly line
  • Leader
  • Muddler minnow flies
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine the size of muddler minnow fly you will fish. The size of the fly should correspond to the fish species you intend to catch. For example, panfish can only ingest small muddler minnow flies while bass or trout will strike much larger flies. If a traditional muddler minnow fly is not working, you may want to experiment with one of the many muddler variations that have been created over the years.

    • 2

      Cast the muddler minnow upstream and across the river in order to allow it to sink quickly as it is washed downstream.

    • 3

      Pull the muddler minnow toward you by stripping in line as the current washes the fly downstream. Strip line by pinning the line against the handle of the fishing rod with the index finger of your rod hand and using your free hand to pull the line toward you 4 to 12 inches at a time. With practice you will be able to use this method to maneuver your muddler minnow past likely fishing holes.

    • 4

      Strike quickly and firmly when a fish hits your muddler minnow. Fish will often violently strike a moving muddler minnow because the fly represents a sizeable mouthful that is about to get away. Keeping the tip of your rod low while fishing the muddler minnow will help you be in position to set the hook properly when a fish strikes.

    • 5

      Cast the muddler minnow to a slightly different location if nothing strikes your fly on its journey downstream. Muddler minnows are good "searching" flies because this technique lets you quickly cover a lot of water while fishing.