6 replies to this topic

[BostonTroutGuy]

Dear List--

I am a newcomer to this wonderful site and also new to fly tying, although I have been fly fishing all my life. I am trying to perfect a wiggle minnow (had awesome luck with this pattern chasing smallies on the Penobscot a few weeks ago). I have read previous threads about this great pattern and watched some videos but I still can't seem to get the foam cylinder to form a hump on the hook shank--it always comes out more or less straight. (See picture attached.) I am using a Daichi 2720. I assume the trick is in cutting the slit in the foam? Should the slit be shallower at the head and get deeper towards the tail? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Tight lines!

Attached Files

•  image.jpeg   102.93KB   1 downloads

[heavynets]

http://www.flytyingf...attern4143.html

[rich mc]

i personally dont like the hook point turning uplike this one. wiggle minnows are known in the midwest as low percentage  hook ups. i would also use the next size larger eye.     that one  will still get strikes     rich mc

[agn54]

I tie a lot of these for the salt and have noticed no problems with the hook up ratio, but I use the B10S stinger like in the recipe Heavynets posted. I too have had some issues in getting the proper bend at times, some of mine have it and some end up flat because I didn't attach the foam on properly. The SBS posted above describes it pretty well. However, I find that the flat ones fish just fine and have had some great days on them.  

[BostonTroutGuy]

Thanks a million for the tips, guys. I have found that by manipulating the foam more while placing it on the hook I can get a bit more bend in the foam although mine still don't ever have the banana shape that I see in commercially tied examples. Here's a good article about modifications to the pattern: http://www.ginkandga...ow-fish-better/.

[agn54]

I like the idea of the articulated tail, should really make the fly move 

[Hatchet Jack]

I've made a few of these and am hardly an expert but one suggestion for more 'bend' might be to

make the hookshank slice deeper at the ends of the foam body, and shallower in the middle.