Balanced minnows

[troutpocket]

I got inspired to up my baitfish game after looking at some stuff that @dbk has been posting. I am generally a “keep it simple” kinda tier but some of the fun options for materials and techniques I see online do add something.

The top pattern is a version of something I have been tying and fishing successfully for several years. It’s not a go-to necessarily but in some situations it has been really good. It’s a fairly quick and simple tie with basic materials. The bottom is modeled after dbk’s balanced minnows. More materials, more steps, more time to tie. But I like it. Hoping to put it in front of some trout sometime soon.

 

[Old Trout11]

I too have been trying my hand at tying minnow patterns. I didn't think of a balance minnow. I like it. But I have trouble with the bloody eyes. I read constantly that its THE EYES! How do you do them?

 

[troutpocket]

I’m using size 4 with a #8 hook. The eyes are sold separately.

 

[Roper]

Rod, help and old guy out, how do you fish these? Indicator? New to me...

 

[troutpocket]

Rod, help and old guy out, how do you fish these? Indicator? New to me...

Yup primarily meant for indicator stuff. Although I have a couple places in mind that I would fish them with a fast sinking line.

 

[Salmo_g]

First it was balanced leeches; now balanced minnows. Do natural leeches and minnows know that they need to be balanced in order to attract predatory fish?

 

[troutpocket]

First it was balanced leeches; now balanced minnows. Do natural leeches and minnows know that they need to be balanced in order to attract predatory fish?

I hope they get the memo before my next outing.

 

[troutpocket]

Doing a batch with olive tails. This is what they look like before the trimming and eyes.

 

[P-FITZ98]

First it was balanced leeches; now balanced minnows. Do natural leeches and minnows know that they need to be balanced in order to attract predatory fish?

At least their diet should be , yes

 

[Paul_]

Dang you @troutpocket you have sent me down a rabbit hole.

 

[dbk]

 

[Freestone]

@troutpocket - Great minds think alike! Your ties are much better than mine though!

I was fishing a Puget Sound beach with a buddy on Saturday. Living on the dryside, I have rarely fished for sea runs but my Seattle-area buddy is very experienced. I think outside the box so part way through the day, I asked “does anyone fish balanced minnows under an indicator for sea runs?”. He is used to my weird ideas so didn’t bat an eye and calmly answered my question.

@Bob Triggs had a little more visceral reaction when I called him with my (apparently blasphemous) question, LOL!

 

[troutpocket]

@troutpocket - Great minds think alike! Your ties are much better than mine though!

I was fishing a Puget Sound beach with a buddy on Saturday. Living on the dryside, I have rarely fished for sea runs but my Seattle-area buddy is very experienced. I think outside the box so part way through the day, I asked “does anyone fish balanced minnows under an indicator for sea runs?”. He is used to my weird ideas so didn’t bat an eye and calmly answered my question.

@Bob Triggs had a little more visceral reaction when I called him with my (apparently blasphemous) question, LOL!

I don’t know anything about searun cutthroat but you gotta figure trout will be trout. Let me know if you give it a try.

 

[tkww]

View attachment 268566 View attachment 268567

Would you mind sharing which materials are in that body?

 

[IveofIone]

I got inspired to up my baitfish game after looking at some stuff that @dbk has been posting. I am generally a “keep it simple” kinda tier but some of the fun options for materials and techniques I see online do add something.

The top pattern is a version of something I have been tying and fishing successfully for several years. It’s not a go-to necessarily but in some situations it has been really good. It’s a fairly quick and simple tie with basic materials. The bottom is modeled after dbk’s balanced minnows. More materials, more steps, more time to tie. But I like it. Hoping to put it in front of some trout sometime soon.
View attachment 268423

I fished a lake in October that held large rainbows and my most productive fly was very similar to the bottom fly in the picture. It was not level nor did it have eyes but fish hit it savagely and often. Tied with some UV material it must be visible for quite a distance underwater. I strip it erratically often letting it sink before jerking it back into action. It seems to me that fish key in on the white flies taking them as they appear to be the white belly of a baitfish. Feeding opportunistically in the fall they seem to fall for anything resembling an easy meal.