Bodkin / Patterns

Murdich Minnow

Streamer · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Largemouth Bass · Striped Bass · Pike · Intermediate · 2 versions

Note: Contested against a published dressing: The published Murdich Minnow agrees with us on the bucktail tail, the pearl flash, and the 3-D molded eyes, but the body is the point of the fly and it does not match. Every source I opened builds the body from wrapped Estaz / Chocklett's chenille with an Ice Fur or synthetic collar —… Source: FlyBass.com — Tying the Murdich Minnow (classic recipe, pattern by Bill Murdich) — https://www.flybass.com/murdich-minnow

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Streamer, 4x long, 1/0-4
  • Thread White/olive 6/0

Materials

  • Tail Bucktail or EP Fibers (sparse)
  • Body EP Fibers or craft fur (tapered baitfish)
  • Back stripe EP Fibers (darker) (over top)
  • Belly Pearl flash (underneath)
  • Head Epoxy or UV resin (built up)
  • Eyes 3D molded (1 pair)

How to tie it

  1. Mount hook, lay a thread base.
  2. Tie in sparse bucktail or EP Fiber tail at the bend.
  3. Build a tapered baitfish body by tying in materials at several stations along the shank: white or light fibers underneath for the belly, darker fibers on top for the back. At each station, use figure-8 wraps to keep the profile compressed laterally. Wide from the side, thin from above.
  4. Add 4-5 strands of pearl flash underneath as a belly highlight.
  5. Attach 3D molded eyes on each side of the head.
  6. Build up the head with thread wraps, then coat generously with UV resin or 5-minute epoxy. Rotate the fly while it cures to prevent sagging.
  7. The finished fly should have a hard, shiny head with a translucent, tapered fiber body behind it.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Jig.

Tying videos

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