June 2023 - 21

and fat. The different profiles are intended
to represent the shape of divergent species
of minnows. For example, several species
of shad, a type of forage fish readily consumed
by bass and other warm-water species,
inhabit the United States. Minnow plugs
with short, fat bodies closely resemble the
shape of a shad. Other forage fish, including
trout fingerlings, have long, slender bodies.
A host of hard-bodied, minnow plugs are
created in this shape. The sculpin, a species
of bottom-dwelling forage fish with a large
heads and oddly-shaped fins, is often found
in rivers. Plugs that taper substantially from
head to tail might roughly take the profile
of a sculpin.
PLENTY OF OPTIONS
Fly anglers have loads of choices when
it comes to minnow-imitating flies. Some
flies, such as the muddler minnow and the
sculpinator, are tied to look like forage fish.
Others vaguely suggest the appearance and
movement of a minnow. I prefer patterns
that at least have the general shape of fingerlings
when fishing water where forage fish
are known to be present.
Many standard minnow patterns are available
to freshwater anglers along with a nearly
endless array that represents old recipes with
a flair or face-lift. Trout, pike and bass anglers
hankering for a different fingerling fly need
only investigate saltwater flies to find a new
pattern. Inshore saltwater fly-fishing inevitably
involves minnow patterns. Innovations
and experiments abound, many of which
are readily gobbled by freshwater fish. Perhaps
the most popular saltwater fly of all,
the Clouser minnow, was originally tied for
smallmouth bass. Legendary fly angler Lefty
Kreh reportedly landed at least 83 different
species of fish worldwide on the Clouser
minnow. I've caught big, river-running rainbow
and brown trout with it, along with
larger-than-average pike and bass on lakes.
One of the keys to consistently catching
fish with minnow plugs or flies is matching
the shape of the lure to the type of forage fish
found in a particular body of water.
Fish may take imitations that fail to
match local forage fish, but matching your
lure to the overall look of a known prey
species ups the odds of a bass or brown trout
immediately sensing it as a meal.
Which brings us to the issue of color.
While it is easy to assume that minnow imitations
colored to closely match the look of
Minnow plugs of numerous shapes, sizes and colors are an effective way to catch fish.
This rainbow trout couldn't resist taking a bite of this minnow plug in the Shoshone River.
Wyoming Wildlife | 21

June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2023

June 2023 - 1
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