FLY OF THE MONTH AUGUST 2025

THE MUDDLER MINNOW

HOOK: Size 10 long shank
THREAD: Grey 6/0
TAIL: Oak turkey wing slips
RIB: Gold wire
BODY: Flat gold tinsel
WING: Grey squirrel tail with oak turkey wing slips over
RUFF: Spun deer hair
HEAD: Spun and clipped deer hair

This fly took the reservoir scene by storm back in the 1970s because it was so unusual compared to what was being used at the time. In fact, I caught my first ever reservoir rainbow trout on this very pattern! It was also one of the first flies I tried to tie and I really struggled with it. It took ages to tie and I was gutted when I lost the first one on a snag in Derwent Reservoir. First tied in the U.S.A. by Don Gapen in 1936 to represent a Sculpin Minnow, it has travelled well and is still in use today although with many variations.

The original tying by Gapen did not have the dense head of spun deer hair, in fact it was quite sparsely tied. The dense head of today was the invention of one Dan Bailey, a Montana fly fisherman back in the 1950s. Most anglers think of it as a fly for pulling through the wave-tops during the summer but it is also useful when fished deep and slow down near the bottom where the trout might take it for a bullhead, a small perch, or something similar.

At this time of the year there can be a huge variety of flies and beetles on the surface of the two lakes at Hallington, and the angler is usually spoilt for choice. Watch out falls of flying ants, especially in hot calm weather, as these will provoke a good rise of fish. For the black variety, a dry hawthorn or black gnat is as good as anything. For the red variety try a small fiery brown hopper or similar. There can also be large falls of black gnats in August and September so a size 16 black gnat should always be in your fly box.

For evening fishing at this time of year, I would choose to have a couple of dry sedge patterns on my leader, because I find fishing surface flies to be the most productive fishing method at Hallington during the summer months. Obviously this depends a lot on the weather and if there are fish rising, but generally speaking if you pick your fishing days carefully, dry flies are often the best bet.

Phil Bilbrough