The EP Minnow is a creation from Enrico Puglisi. This fly is more a pattern of tying than a specific pattern, and can be tied in various configurations, colors and shapes to imitate a variety of baitfish. I have tied these flies up to about ten inches long for dorado fishing, and as small as two inches for trout. You can easily alter the size of the fly by trimming it down on the water to match the prevailing bait as well. Carrying permanent markers with you will further the ability to change the pattern as needed.
Materials Needed:
Hook: Gamakatsu SC-15 #2/0-6
Thread: Monofilament Tying Thread
Body: Mirror Image, Slinky Fiber or EP Fibers
Flash: Wing And Flash, Silver and Pearl
Eyes: Solid Plastic Eyes
Eye Adhesive: Zap-A-Dap-A-Goo Head Cement: Sally Hansen’s Hard As Nails
Step 1
Start the mono tying thread right behind the ye and wrap a thread base back to the mid-point on the shank.
Step 2
Pull a length of silver flash from the clump and tie it in at the center of its length at the mid-point of the shank.
Step 3
Pull the front end of the flash back over the top of the shank, effectively doubling it over, and tie it down to the midpoint. Tying the flash in this way will prevent it from pulling out later.
Step 4
Cut a long clump of white or light colored fibers from the hank. Tie this clump in on the bottom of the hook at its mid-point as you did the flash. Don’t worry about the length too much at this point, but you want it at least as long as you want the finished fly to be.
Step 5
Pull the fibers up around the bend of the hook so they stick out the back of the hook.
Step 6
Double the front ends of the fibers back along the bottom of the hook, folding it back under the first half and bind it in place.
Step 7
Lift the second half of the fiber clump up around the bend of the hook as well, encompassing the bottom half of the hook shank.
Step 8
Tie a clump of darker colored Fiber in along the top of the hook at the center of its length like you did the light colored Fibers on the bottom of the shank. The length of this clump should match the length of the white fibers.
Step 9
Double the front end of the top fibers back over the top of the hook and bind them in place as shown.
Step 10
Peel another big clump of pearl flash from the hank and fold it around the shank at the front of the body tie down area. Bind the flash in place at the center of its length.
Step 11
Fold the front end of the flash back around the shank so it lies flat over the body material. Are you beginning to see the pattern here? Use a comb to distribute the flash evenly through the body, then bind the flash in place with a couple tight turns of thread.
Step 12
The flash should be distributed all around the hook as shown here.
Step 13
Tie in another clump of the darker Fibers along the top of the hook and bind them in, you guessed it; at the center of their length…
Step 14
Fold the front end of the Fibers back along the top of the shank and bind them down as you did with all the other clumps.
Step 15
Tie in a clump of silver flash on the top of the shank, at the center of its length.
Step 16
Fold the silver flash back over the top of the hook and bind it down.
Step 17
Tie in another clump of light colored Fibers along the bottom of the shank in the middle of their length (Just thought I’d mix it up a little here).
Step 18
Fold the front ends back and bind them down.
Step 19
Put another Clump of darker Fibers in on top and repeat the process. Fold the front facing fibers back, bind them in place and build a few tight turns of thread to anchor everything in place. Whip finish and clip the thread.
Step 20
You now have a great big giant hunk of fibers tied to the hook with some flash thrown in.
Step 21
Start trimming the fly from back to front into a fishy triangle shape. Trim as much or as little as you need to get the fly to your desired size.
Step 22
Here’s where I ended up with my trimming. You can leave the fly wide and deep to imitate a sunfish, longer and narrower to imitate other baitfish, it’s up to you.
Step 23
Cut the stems off the back of a pair of solid Plastic Eyes and glue them in place just back from the hook eye with a dab of Zap-A-Dap-A-Goo. Press the eyes into place with the end of a half hitch tool.
Step 24
Add some color!! Here I used an olive marker to make some bars along the flanks, a red marker for some gills, and top the dorsal surface with a bit of dark blue. The color is best added in layers and can be as simple or as complicated as you like.
Step 25
This one is a little plainer…
Step 26
This one is much smaller, tied with finer Fibers, to imitate smaller baitfish. You can see the concept behind this fly and the versatility it offers.
