Hook Size 4
We have a plain, traditional Muddler Minnow and a Purple Muddler Minnow
Steelhead fly. The Muddler Minnow, is an old fly pattern that was designed by
Don Gaspen. It’s an imitation of a sculpin. The Muddler Minnow works for any
species of freshwater fish that takes streamers. It’s especially productive for trout
and steelhead that feed on sculpin, which is one of the most plentiful species of
non aquatic insect trout foods there are. It also works for trout and steelhead
feeding on the many species of baitfish and minnows found in steelhead and
trout streams.
Sculpin stay right on the bottom, usually hidden down between the rocks on the
stream’s bottom. They do move around on the bottom when they are feeding and
that is when they are most likely to be eaten by a trout. If the fly is weighted to the
point is stays right on the bottom, the action is affected. Weight should be added
a few inches up the tippet using split shot.
The Muddler Minnow should be fished like most streamers but it’s realistic
enough that it can be fished on a straight retrieve as well as erratic retrieves. It’s
commonly fished on the swing, especially when it is used for steelhead.
Most anglers use a strip retrieve using a floating fly line. Sometimes a
intermediate, full sinking fly line or sink tip fly line works better if the water is very
deep.
The Muddler Minnow can be fished on or near the surface by adding floatant to
the fly. That’s why we have the Muddler Minnow under the dry fly sections of the
Steelhead pages of the site.
The Purple Muddler Minnow is a very popular steelhead fly simply because the
color purple works attracts steelhead. This has been proven over and over with
many different steelhead fly patterns.
As with most streamer flies, the Muddler Minnow streamer should be fished on at
least a six weight fly rod and line. Seven to nine weight fly rods and fly lines
usually work best for  Steelhead. Medium to fast action fly rods work best.
