TYING DON GAPEN’S MUDDLER MINNOW

Don Gapen’s Muddler Minnow could well lay claim to being the most celebrated streamer pattern ever. Gapen devised the pattern way back in 1937 in Anoka, Minnesota, to imitate small baitfish species called sculpins. An interesting fact is that the Muddler far pre-dates the equally celebrated and ubiquitous Woolly Bugger.

Mark Krige with a rainbow trout from the Smalblaar River, Western Cape

Here is how Mark Krige ties his version of the pattern. Mark is without doubt one of the most skilful and accomplished fly tyers in South Africa today. He lives in Somerset West in the Western Cape Province and ties fresh and saltwater flies to order.

TYING STEPS

The hook shank is dressed in red tying thread and a sliver of turkey feather is tied on to form the tail

Flat silver tinsel (front) and gold wire (back) are tied onto the hook shank

The silver tinsel is wrapped along the hook shank and trapped with turns of gold wire

Two larger slivers of turkey feather form the wings

Squirrel hair is added above and either side of the wings

A bunch of deer hair is spun around the front of the hook shank

The deer hair is trimmed into a neat, conical shape

The final product - a neat Muddler Minnow

Mark tying the Muddler with his J-Vice

FISHING THE MUDDLER MINNOW

This is a wonderful streamer pattern fished across and down in big rivers, then kited up with rod movements at the end of its drift. But I used them for years, often tied jet black, to catch big brown trout feeding early evening or at night on minnows on the edges of lakes, or in the inlet streams to lakes. The design of the pattern is such that not only does it tend to stay near the surface in the retrieve because of its deer hair head, but in a fast retrieve it makes just enough subsurface commotion or ‘noise’ as we called it, to attract trout. Fishing Muddlers on a wet line in deep water with split shot at the head, or a way up the leader, is also very effective in lakes.

To order custom tied flies from Mark Krige contact him on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on cell  076 9840328 or on his land line at 021 8553956.

Tom Sutcliffe