In this video I will show you how to tie the Fish Skull Sparkle Minnow (variation with Fish Skull Bait Fish head) streamer pattern. The Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow has been responsible for fooling a lot of trout here in on the river’s of southwest Montana and wherever trout call home. The pattern imitates a baitfish or sculpin that trout find irresistible. My variation and only attempt at improving the fly is to add the Fish Skull Bait Fish Head from Flymen Fishing Company in place of the black cone head for added realism and to orient the fly hook up to keep it from hanging up on the bottom. Although it’s very effective stripped and fished erratically, it’s also deadly dead drifted or tight lined. The Fish Skull Sparkle Minnow is a fairly easy fly to tie and incorporates some useful techniques such as how to make a dubbing loop. I tie them in several colors and sizes and don’t go fly fishing without them.

Fly Tying: Fish Skull Sparkle Minnow

The Sparkle Minnow with Fish Skull Bait Fish head.

Recipe:

Tiemco U302 #6

Uni-Thread 6/0 Olive

Lead wrap .035

Blood Quill Marabou-Light Olive

Krystal Flash-Olive and Copper

Hareline Dubbin– Ice Dub Gold

Spirit River-Lite Brite Pearl Green-Olive

Flyman Fishing Company Fish Skull Bait Fish Head-Copper-Small

If you liked learning to tie the Fish Skull Sparkle Minnow you’ll love our tutorial on tying the Conehead JJ’s Special and the Bead Head Prince Nymph.

Want your chance at at trophy trout with the Fish Skull Sparkle Minnow?  Book a trip with one of our professional guides.