{{+1}}Wiggle minnow{{-1}}

From what I can gather the original Wiggle Minnow was conceived by Mark Felty of Felty’s flies in Sydney. By varying the materials used, the colours and size I have accounted for trout, bream, flathead, mangrove jack and even barramundi on wiggle minnows. The recipe I have set out below is just one version of this very adaptable fly and I would encourage you to individualise the fly to your own requirements.

Trout version

Estuary and bass version

Tropical version

Materials trout and bass versions

Hook	Thread	Back / head	Tail	Under-body	Beard	Eyes
2 to 4 Gamakatsu SS15T	Clear 2lb mono	1 layers of 2 mm CSF	Zonker strip	4 mm Estaz chenille	Sparkle flash	Painted

Materials tropical version

Hook	Thread	Back / head	Tail	Under-body	Beard	Eyes
2/0 34007	Black mono-chord	2 layers of 2 mm CSF	Dahlberg Diver	6 mm Estaz chenille	Sparkle flash	Painted

Process

A	Cut a piece of closed cell foam. I use 2 layers of 1 mm closed cell foam and cut it about 10 mm wide for this size 2 fly. Make the foam a little longer than required as you can trim the excess once the fly has been tied. Pierce the foam with the point of the hook along the center line and a distance equal to about the gape of the hook from one end and push the foam along to the eye of the hook. Understanding hooks Now place the hook loaded with the foam into the vice.

B	Push the foam forward to the eye of the hook and wind the thread in touching turns to the start of the bend of the hook. Tie your choice of tail material in. I have tied in a length of zonker strip in for the tail on this fly, but you can use marabou, build up a Dahlberg diver type tail etc. etc Alternative tail options Tie in your under-body material. I have tied in a length of brown sparkle chenille for this fly but you can use most fly body materials.

C	Wind the body material forward almost to the foam. This is sufficient for the body but you may like to add a hackle beard extending under the fly and partially covering the barb of the hook. Tie in a hackle directly behind the free hanging closed cell foam. Return the thread to the bend of the hook.

D	If you tied in a hackle palmer it back along the shank of the hook and tie it off at the bend of the hook and trim the excess. Pull the closed cell foam back along the top of the fly and tie it down firmly at the bend of the hook.

E	The next step is tricky. You may be able to whip finish the fly at the bend of the hook by taking a number of multi hitches by hand. If you can do that then the fly tying is finished. Multi hitches by hand Alternatively, take the fly out of the vice and to put it back in held only by the eye of the hook and then, whip finish on the shank of the hook under the tail of the fly. Multi hitches using an empty biro

F	Apply varnish or super glue the multi hitches and on top of the body where it is tied down at the bend of the hook. Trim off any excess foam at the bib end or behind the tail and either paint on or stick on eyes. Some options for eyes