Wiley's Lil' Minnow

Hook: Daiichi 2546 #6
Thread: 6/0 Uni-Thread
Tail: Rabbit Strip
Body: Rabbit
Collar: Mallard Flank Feather and Rams Wool
Flash: Holographic Flashabou
Legs: Rainbow Shimmer Legs
Head: Rams Wool

Step 1: Start by placing a Daiichi 2546 #6 hook in the vise. Wrap a layer of thread back to just before the bend of the hook.


Step 2: Bring the thread to just about half way up the shank of the hook and tie in a rabbit strip.


Step 3: Next, take three strips of red and three strips of silver holographic Flashabou, double them over and tie them in at the same place that the rabbit was tied in.


Step 4: Now take three small clumps of rabbit fur.


Step 5: Tie one on each side of the hook and one on the bottom of the hook. All three are tied in at the same spot that the flash and rabbit strip are.

 
Step 6: Palmer a single gadwell or mallard feather to form a collar.
   Step 7: Now, tie in two rubber legs on each side of the fly. For an all white fly I like to use the Rainbow Shimmer Legs.
Step 8: Next, move your thread forward to just in front of where the materials have been tied in to this point. Take four small clumps of ram’s wool and tie them in on both sides, top and bottom of the fly. Note, that the ram’s wool in this step has the tips pointing back to give a nice collar to the head of the fly.


Step 9: Now move your thread in front of the clumps that were just tied in. Take a large clump of ram’s wool and spin it around the hook and secure it in place. Wrap the thread to just in front of the wool, whip finish, glue and cut the thread off.


 Final: Trim the head of the fly to a bullet shape and your ready for the water.

I first started to tie this for steelhead in the late winter. It was created to imitate the salmon fry and other minnows in the Pere Marquette and Manistee River. It has since become one of my favorite brown trout and smallmouth flies also. This fly can be tied in a number of colors to match any type of forage in the waters. So whip up a few and get it wet.

Aaron guides for Schultz outfitters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. If you have any questions e-mail me at troutbum0112@yahoo.com or check out schultzoutfitters.com