# How to tie The Mylar Minnow...



## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

_Thought I'd take a crack at posting a fly recipe. You all know my skill level, or lack there of, so take this for what it's worth. Jan, if people like this and you want to add it to the Wiki, feel free. _

*How to tie The Mylar Minnow *(HaMm3r’s version)









Of all the flies I’ve purchased and/or tied, The Mylar Minnow is without question, my favorite to date. I’ve caught more fish, both saltwater and fresh, on this pattern than all others combined. Bass love it, seatrout absolutely destroy it and it’s a cinch to tie.

For lack of a better definition this is a wet, suspending, sub-surface fly due to the foam core, which gives it an extremely slow sink rate. However, once on the bottom, it can be worked almost jig-like. Give it a try; I think you’ll like it…

Materials;
Hook – Mustad C70SD – Size 4
Thread – White and Red
¼” Flexi-cord – Pearl/Silver
5/32” Yellow Stick-on Eyes
Marabou Feathers - White and Gray
Dave’s Flexament
Packing Foam – Pink









Instructions;
Cut out a roughly cylindrical piece of packing foam about ½” in diameter. Trim the length so that the foam block reaches from the start of the hook bend to about 1/8” behind the hook eye. Thread the foam onto the hook and place in vice as shown.









Make a few wraps of white thread, just below the foam block.









Blend a clump of gray marabou with a clump of white marabou, trim to length and tie in behind the foam. Secure with a whip knot as shown. 

















Trim excess marabou fibers as needed, keeping in mind that neatness is not critical at this stage. Begin wrapping forward loosely, compressing the foam to roughly half its original diameter.

















Use a whip knot to secure the thread just in front of the foam, then bring the thread straight back along the belly and make a few more wraps behind the foam once again.









Measure and cut a piece of flexi-cord so that it reaches from just behind the hook eye, to even with the bottom of the hook bend.

















Use pliers to remove the flexi-cord core.









Fit the resulting mylar sleeve over the eye of the hook and the foam core, until the hook eye is exposed. Do not twist the mylar while positioning, as this will cause it to unravel.

























Make two or three loose wraps around the mylar sleeve, then tighten to cinch down the rear of the body. Whip finish and cut.

















Using red thread now, begin wrapping from the hook eye back.









Make two loose wraps over the mylar, then pull gently to tighten. Continue wrapping to build up the nose and trim any excess mylar where necessary.

























If a weedguard is needed, now would be the time. Whip finish and cut.

















Attach stick-on eyes and coat the entire mylar body, including the eyes and thread with Dave’s flexament.









Allow to dry, trim your weedguard and go fish!









Addendum: The camera flash makes the mylar appear far more transparent than it really is. To the naked eye and in the water, this fly is nearly opaque silver, with just a hint of red innards. Here's what you can expect it to look like in the mouth of your favorite game fish.


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Very Nice!


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

fly looks cool, tying steps well done too, but I really like the dreamy, aqua looking photo background.


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## aaronshore (Aug 24, 2007)

Nice job Hammer. I bet that fly would look/work even better if you used white foam instead of pink. That aqua background is dreamy. Deerfly was right.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> Very Nice!


Thanks Tom! 



> fly looks cool, tying steps well done too, but I really like the dreamy, aqua looking photo background.


Appreciate that Eric!  But the thing you're missing is that it isn't a background. All the tying must be done underwater! ;D 



> Nice job Hammer. I bet that fly would look/work even better if you used white foam instead of pink.


Thanks again, Aaron.  As for the foam color, it is only the camera flash that makes it look red like that. The fly is actually very silver with just a hint of pink, almost like internal organs showing thru. I've tried white and blue foam, but pink is best IMO. 
See, here's a photo from my last report using this same fly pattern with pink foam. Notice how silver it looks in natural light.


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## ht (Oct 1, 2008)

Very nice job Hammer! Thank you for not only taking the time to share your pattern but also for taking photographs showing the individual steps.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> Very nice job Hammer!  Thank you for not only taking the time to share your pattern but also for taking photographs showing the individual steps.


Thanks Backlash...I hope you tie a few.  I'd love to hear if others are as successful with it as I've been.


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

I went over to the fly fisherman to try and find some open cell foam since that was the only ingredient I was missing. They didn't have it but I walked out with $20 worth of other materials. : On the way back I decided to stop by Sky Craft. Of course they had it. Only in white though. $2.50 for 3 square feet. Looks like its time to do some tying tonight. I am excited to try this out on my local bass spot.


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## Flyline (Mar 3, 2008)

> I went over to the fly fisherman to try and find some open cell foam since that was the only ingredient I was missing. They didn't have it but I walked out with $20 worth of other materials. : On the way back I decided to stop by Sky Craft. Of course they had it. Only in white though. $2.50 for 3 square feet. Looks like its time to do some tying tonight. I am excited to try this out on my local bass spot.


make me 5 flylures then I give u 20 bucks if I catch a bass in wekiva with this flylure while U are in local. ;D ;D ;D

HAMMER,

that's really nice of you showing your secert fly lure!  Step by step fly tying is way to go!  I can't wait to buy all the flytie materials but I dont know where to start! 
[smiley=1-headache.gif] [smiley=hmmm.gif]


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

Tom, I've never been in a fly shop and not bought something too.  Funny how that works, kinda like being in a bar and not buying a drink, never happens. :

Seems this pattern would be great on a long shank hook too and/or with the next size down mylar piping. Would make for a nice glass minnow sorta thing.


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Too funny.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> I went over to the fly fisherman to try and find some open cell foam since that was the only ingredient I was missing.


Should have said something...I could have given you a piece. I was in Altamonte this morning.  In the future, go talk with your PC Techs at work. Practically every replacement hard drive, motherboard and any other computer component is shipped in this stuff.



> I am excited to try this out on my local bass spot.


Alright! I look forward to hearing how you do. [smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif]



> that's really nice of you showing your secert fly lure!


Listen, I've learned so much from the people on here, that it's the least I can do. [smiley=usa.gif]

And for the record, let me just say that I never claimed this was a totally original pattern. I saw some similar designs, used some different materials and tweaked the pattern several times until it performed the way I wanted. The only part I'll claim as completely my idea is the foam core. Although I'm sure it's been done before, adding the foam was not something I'd seen elsewhere. 



> Seems this pattern would be great on a long shank hook too and/or with the next size down mylar piping. Would make for a nice glass minnow sorta thing.


Another thing I've done is tie in a strip or two of lead wire, before pushing the foam. It makes the fly heavier and workable in a current.

Something else I've been thinking about but haven't tried yet, is using two colors of foam, red on the belly and white or black on top. I think you could get a nice "bleeding belly" effect.


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