The Gangsta Minnow – A True Chrome Crusher

A while back I wrote a 3-part series that detailed what I think are some of the best Great Lakes steelhead flies to carry during three different seasons. Follow these links to revisit that series:

Part 1 – Winter
Part 2 – Spring
Part 3 – Fall

To refresh, steelhead are healthy, uneducated and full of fight when they enter Great Lakes streams in fall, and I really like to take advantage of the fact that the steelhead have just spent their entire summer hunting emerald shiners. The Gangsta Minnow is one of my favorite patterns to fish on the swing, and one of my top picks for fall. Here's how to tie it.

And remember, the season will be here a lot sooner than you think, so if you have some spare time, start tying now!

Materials
Flymen Fishing Co. Articulated Shank (20 mm)
Nickel Indiana Blade (No. 0)
6/0 Uni Thread (white)
Berkley FireLine (30-pound)
Owner Mosquito hook or equivalent (No. 2)
Rabbit zonker strip (white/olive-barred)
Polar flash (pearl-silver)
Marabou (white)
Schlappen feather (5- to 7-inch, natural grizzly)
Flashabou (blue/green/copper)
Rubber legs (white)
Hareline Senyo Shaggy Dub (white)
Plastic bead eyes (silver)

Step 1: Take a 20mm Flymen Articulated Shank and secure it in your vice. Slide a No. 0 nickel Indiana blade into the rear loop.

Step 2: Close the opening with several wraps of white 6/0 Uni Thread, and add a drop of superglue to secure it.

Step 3: Cut off a 6-inch piece of 30-pound Berkley FireLine and fold it evenly in half. Take the loop end and thread it through the eye of a No. 2 Owner Mosquito Hook. Open the loop and pull the line over the hook to form the connection. This will make for easy removal if your hook needs to be changed.

*Note: Length from Articulated Shank eye to Owner hook eye is roughly 3.5 inches.

Step 4: Tie in a 3-inch piece of white/olive-barred rabbit zonker strip, and six strands of pearl/silver polar flash.

Note: Make sure the rabbit-strip hide doesn't extend past the rear hook eye. This will prevent fouling.

Step 5: Tie in a white marabou feather. Make sure the fibers wrap completely around the shank.

Step 6: Palmer a full collar with a single, 5- to 7-inch natural grizzly schlappen feather.

Step 7: Add six to 10 total combined strands of blue/green/copper flashabou across the top of the fly. Tie in four silver-flecked white rubber legs to each side. Rubber legs should be trimmed to 2.5 inches in length.

Step 8: Center-tie in a clump of white Hareline Senyo Shaggy Dub, then fold over the front fibers toward the rear of the fly.

Step 9: Place a drop of superglue at the base of the head and tie in a set of silver plastic bead eyes, or metal eyes if you prefer weight.