Bead Headed Coho Muddler Fly Recipe

The Muddler Minnow has long been a favourite for targeting coho in our freshwater rivers and sloughs. This particular variation features an extra flash in the wing, enticing these fish to take our fly. With various colour options, I fish this pattern with great confidence. Using either a full floating line with an intermediate poly leader or a full intermediate sinking fly line, I pair it with a 7 or 8 weight fly rod and tie it to a 12 or 15lb Seaguar Blue label fluorocarbon tippet.

Fly Recipe

Hook: Tiemco 5262 Size 6-8

Bead: 1/8 Brass Bead, Gold

Thread: Uni Thread, 6/0, Red

Tail: Barred Mallard Flank Natural

Body: Uni Mylar Gold/Silver Tinsel, size 12

Wing: Wapsi Deer Body hair, Natural Brown. Flashabou, Rainbow

Head: Spun and trimmed Wapsi Deer Body Hair, Natural Brown

Tying Steps:

1.) Slide one of the beads on to your hook and fix it into your tying vice.

2.) Tie in your thread, cover the hook shank to build your foundation and tie in a small clump of mallard flank for a tail about 1.5 times the hook gape for length.

3.) Tie in your Uni Mylar Tinsel on the gold side as this will ensure you get a silver body. Wrap the mylar forward so it covers 2/3 of the remaining hook shank.

4.) Take a small clump of your Flashabou (about 18-24 strands) and tie them in as a wing. Clean the underfur from a small clump of deer hair and stack the tips. Tie this in as an over wing.

5.) Clean another clump of deer hair, no need to stack it. Lay it horizontal to the hook shank and tie 3 or 4 loose wraps of thread over the hair. Apply tension to the thread and “spin” the head around the hook shank at the head. You can repeat this until the gap is filled up to the bead. Whip finish and cut the thread.

6.) Trim the deer hair to form a head. I prefer to use an old razor blade as it is the easiest way I find, but your tying scissors will work as well. (Be careful not to chop off the wing!)

Other colour combos I like are olive deer hair with a copper wing, natural brown deer hair with a silver and green wing and yellow deer hair with a gold wing. Good Luck!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email at searun2013@gmail.com, by phone at 604-931-5044 or stop by Sea-Run Fly & Tackle at #110-1140 Austin Avenue in Coquitlam BC.

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