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How To Tie Magnum Murdich Minnow - Rainbow Pattern
Murdich Minnow - Magnum Rainbow
Recipe:
Hook: This is a hard one, you can use a TMC 700B, but the problem you are going to run into is whatever hook you use needs to be fairly long and the gap needs to be real wide. I’m using a Partridge Single Low Water in either a 4/0 or 5/0. Some people use a short shank so it’s really a preference (depending on what species you are after) thing. All in all this hook works best for me.
Thread: Danville 210, white Rattle: Standard (Sound Chamber) – I use Gorilla Glue to put the rattle to the shank Tail: Jumbo Bucktail, White and Fl. Pink Flash: Pink, on top of the bucktail, and green over the E.P. fiber Back Collar: You can use a white E.P. brush or E.P. fiber. I found this to be the easiest material to find verses what they recommend for the pattern. Underbody: White rayon chenille Overbody: (Pearl) Large cactus hackle (from Hareline) or Estaz Grande (from Spirit River) – Either one will do the trick Eyes: Hologram Eyes: size ¼ if using Cactus Hackle, size 5/16 if using the Estaz Glue: Zap gel Markers: Prismacolro markers, dark olive green and pink
Step 1.
Attach the rattle somewhere in the middle of the hook shank. You can do this by adding a little super glue just to lay it down. Hold it for a second and it should stay until you wrap over it with thread.
Step 2.
Now you can secure it with thread until you feel like it is really secure. I usually make a smooth thread base.
Step 3.
Wind the thread to the bend. Measure the bucktail to be twice the length of the hook shank. Cut a nice clump of bucktail (prep it first) and tie it in. I don’t want to go into great detail about how to cut and prep bucktail, but you want to cut the tips of the bucktail at and angle when tying it in. The reason being is you want it to have a taper. It will help cut down on the bulk.
Step 4.
Repeat the same step with the pink. Go a little lighter then you did on the white. Tie this one right in front of the white you ended on the shank. If you got the taper this should level it out without creating too much bulk. Once tied in wind back on top of the white and even the thread at the bend.
Step 5.
Tie in about 8-10 strands of flashabou. I usually wrap it around the thread and then tie it down. If you don’t know this step just tie it in your way.
Step 6.
Here I’m using E.P. fiber, but if you have a brush that will work as well. What we are trying to complete in this step is to create a collar for pushing water. It all adds up at the end of the day when you are looking for that monster brown. Tie a clump on each side of the hook shank and make sure it reaches around the top; it doesn’t need to be on the bottom, that way you leave room to get a nice hook set.
Step 7.
Repeat the same step on the other side. Note: If you notice in the picture it doesn’t need to be fairly long, long enough to flare to push water.
Step 8.
Now tie in the flash and it needs to be a little longer then the collar. Tie in as much as you desire. I leave the flash part up to you. I don’t like too much, but enough to get their attention.
Step 9.
Tie in the hackle flash first and then the rayon chenille. Wind them to the back where everything else meets.
Step 10.
Now the only purpose for this chenille is to even out the body ( make sure you go long on the strand or you might run out). I don’t go into great detail how to do this, but what you want to do is wrap in the back until you get even with the top of the rattle, then wrap over the rattle and then do the same in the front. Just remember not to wrap up too close to the eye and crowd the eye. The hackle flash will do that.
Step 11.
Wrap the flash up going side by side leaving no space in-between. Make sure you palmer it as well. After you trim the excess, you can color the sides pink and the top olive. Use the broad side of the marker.
Step 12.
Trim a little of the hackle flash down to make room to glue the eyes. Add a little zap gel and set the eyes in place. Make sure when you press them down you don’t do it with your fingers or you will make the eye look cloudy. Press down with the end of a pen or something. Hold them in place for a minute. Then come back a few minutes later and press down again. This will really lock them in tight to the body.
Step 12.
Trim a little of the hackle flash down to make room to glue the eyes. Add a little zap gel and set the eyes in place. Make sure when you press them down you don’t do it with your fingers or you will make the eye look cloudy. Press down with the end of a pen or something. Hold them in place for a minute. Then come back a few minutes later and press down again. This will really lock them in tight to the body.