small minnow patterns

[mudbug]

I've been spending a bit of time fishing the Urban ponds around where I live. My chances of catching a good sized bass are decent, but my chances for catching panfish are better.

Because of this I prefer to just use my 3 wt.

What I'm looking for are some small minnow patterns that will cast OK on my 3 wt, but look big and yummy to a bass.

In general some kind of 1.5" minnow pattern.

I've tied up some small DW minnows, some bead chain eye mini clousers using both bucktail and congo hair. and some small EP minnows.

Any other ideas?

[MoscaPescador]

Size 10 or 12 Woolly Bugger.

Use pearl Krystal Chenille for the body.

White marabout tail.

White hackle.

You can use mono or bead chain eyes if you wish.

[caseywise]

try a #10 white matuka.
give it an erratic strip and adjust depth accordingly.
some flash in the fly es bueno


casey

[MoscaPescador]

Pearl Simi Seal Leech can do the trick, too.

[pab1]

Originally Posted by caseywise

try a #10 white matuka.
give it an erratic strip and adjust depth accordingly.
some flash in the fly es bueno


casey

X2 on the matuka! I love these on 3 and 4 wt rods. I tie them in a variety of colors for various water conditions. I often use ice dub on the body to give it a subtle "minnow" flash.

[swampdonkey]

Mudbug,

My brother lives in Avondale and is surrounded by urban ponds full of bass, panfish, and carp. He says he has a very hard time getting the bass to take but has been pretty successful with the carp. I would have thought it would be the other way around. What have you found to work best with the bass?

Dan

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by swampdonkey

Mudbug,

My brother lives in Avondale and is surrounded by urban ponds full of bass, panfish, and carp. He says he has a very hard time getting the bass to take but has been pretty successful with the carp. I would have thought it would be the other way around. What have you found to work best with the bass?

Dan

Well, MoscaPescador will find this funny but so far my best bass producers in the urban ponds have been a Chartreuse Crystal Bugger and Simiseal Leaches in shades of tan and green/olive. Not so much fished like a minnow though, more like finesse fishing a rubber worm, slow retrieve.


I hadn't thought of using a white crystal bugger though, I'll make some up, and I will definately make up some Matukas also.

Thank you guys, any other ideas?

[Rip Tide]

Pan fish eat bugs a heck of a lot more than they eat minnows.
Personally I fish with wet flies, both traditional winged and soft hackled. The McGinty and woolyworm are favorites

If you're really into minnows, a small bendback bead-head would be the ticket.
They're so simple that I'm not sure there's even a name for them

Imagine this bendback Clouser with bead head instead of the lead eyes and a bit sparser hair (or marabou ) in a size 12 or 10.

[swirlchaser]

Originally Posted by mudbug

I've been spending a bit of time fishing the Urban ponds around where I live. My chances of catching a good sized bass are decent, but my chances for catching panfish are better.

Because of this I prefer to just use my 3 wt.

What I'm looking for are some small minnow patterns that will cast OK on my 3 wt, but look big and yummy to a bass.

In general some kind of 1.5" minnow pattern.

I've tied up some small DW minnows, some bead chain eye mini clousers using both bucktail and congo hair. and some small EP minnows.

Any other ideas?

I go through this alot since I do alot of pond fishing. I won't sugarcoat it, I've had no luck catching big Bass AND Bluegills on the same fly. I've caught 1-2lb Bass on small Buggers or Clousers but if you want a shot at fat, bucketmouth Bass you will have to leave the Bluegills alone and cast some big flies. A 4lb Bass will swallow all but the biggest Blugills with ease. I know it cuts down on the amount of fish you catch but if you want the big boys you have to throw saltwater size flies.

This guy slammed a 1/0 Bunny Clouser.

[mudbug]

Thank you guys for your input but I feel I need to clarify something.

I understand that panfish are not as likely to eat the minnow flies I'm looking for, I just want something that might attract bass that I can toss with my 3 wt if I want.

So I'm looking for light weight minnow imitations with with low wind resistance.