Mini Peanut Variant Tutorial

"This is a fly I like fishing in the early spring when water temps are still on the colder side and rivers are running low and clear. The front dumbbell eyes generate an enticing vertical movement in the water when worked slowly. Tie some up and get out for some early season trout fishing!"

-Matt

 

MATERIALS LIST

TOOLS USED

Fishing Notes

Because this fly uses a pair of medium lead dumbbell eyes, I typically fish this on a lighter sink tip setup. This lighter line lets this fly work its jigging motion while still helping it get down. Lately I’ve been using the Scientific Anglers Trout Express and Titan Sink Tip for flies like this with some great success.

Play with the retrieve to see what adjustments you’ll need to make depending on depth and current speed but generally the idea is a twitch or lift with the rod tip followed by a generous pause that will animate the fly vertically in the water column. It can be easy to lose track of your slack with presentations such as this so you’ll need to force yourself to regain tension after your lift and the rod tip returns to its lowest position.

Despite the colder water of spring, fish will often attack this fly with some serious aggression. The “lamprey hatch” really kicks in to gear in April which is when I really like fishing this style fly. Whether or not they eat lamprey, they don’t seem to like them.

Color Schemes

Aside from the olive/yellow in the tutorial, I really like brown/tan and olive versions of this fly as well. The choice usually comes down to water clarity and color. The easiest way to choose your starting color is to take a look at the water color. Try and match the color of the bottom or the tint of the water and go from there.

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