The pattern notebook · streamer
Sparkle Minnow
How do you tie a Sparkle Minnow?
Sparkle Minnow is a streamer fly pattern for trout, bass, saltwater. Find its 10 materials and 34 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5
- Target species
- trout, bass, saltwater
- Pattern designer
- Brian Coffey
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Hook: Risen Streamer 200, Down Eye, 2X Heavy, 4X Long #4
- Cone: Risen Cone Head, Gold, Large
- Thread: Veevus 140, Olive
- Weight: Lead-free wire, .015 size
- Tail: Duranglers Strung Marabou, White
- Tail: Venaird Turkey Marabou, Brown Olive
- Flash: Hareline Krystal Flash, Gold
- Body: FTD Starburst Fibers, Pearl Fire
- Body: Starburst Dubbing, Olive
- Dubbing Wax
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Tying instructions
Secure hook and cone in vise.
Slide cone onto hook.
Wrap lead-free wire onto the hook shank behind the cone, adding 20 wraps.
Push the wire wraps together.
Add a dot of super glue on the hook shank right behind the cone.
Push the lead up under the cone.
Start thread right behind the lead wraps and snip off the waste.
Bring thread up over the lead to secure it.
Let your thread wind up under the cone.
Bring your thread all the way down to the start of the hook bend.
Wrap back up a wrap or two.
Pull off a marabou feather and stroke up the fibers.
Measure out about a hook shank length for the tail.
Tie in the white marabou at that measurement with some tight wraps.
Start wrapping up the feather to about a third of the way up the hook shank.
Pull the feather up and cut it off at an angle.
Make a few more wraps to clean up the waste and taper that shank.
Bring your thread back down to about the hook point mark.
Pull out three strands of gold krystal flash and clip them off the hank.
Measure the flash to be a little longer than the marabou tail.
Tie it in on the side of the tail.
Pull the forward-facing strands rearward and tie them in on the other side.
Clip them to the same length.
Turn your fly upside down.
Tie in the white belly brush underneath the fly with some tight wraps.
If your wire is long, then cut it so it doesn't extend past the cone.
Tie in the wire and bring your thread back down once again.
Turn the fly back around and tie in the other brush that will match the top marabou color.
Leave your thread up right behind the bead.
Wrap the darker color brush up the hook shank with open wraps.
Pull the fiber back with each wrap to help keep from trapping too many fibers.
Try to make at least one wrap under that cone.
Whip finish the fly under the cone and cut off the thread.
Pick everything out once again and brush out the fly as well.