Cypert's Minnow and
My Uncle Paul's Bead Squirrel Tail
By Mike Hogue
A few years ago I happened to visit with Guide Charlie Cypert of Texas.
I was really interested in the wonderful pencil poppers that Charlie made.
After some talking we traded patterns, ideas and this how I came across
Charlie's fly. He uses it for stripped bass, largemouth and smallies. Charlie
fishes this fly with a nine weight rod and a Teeny T-400 25 foot sinking
tip line in Lake Whitney, Texas. Charlie also has used this fly for stripers
on spring spawning runs in the Lake Whitney tailwater and in saltwater for
redfish and sea trout.
I found this fly to be a very effective fly and have had great success fishing
for crappies, smallmouth and largemouth with it. My favorite colors are
white, hot pink and chartreuse. While Charlie uses this fly up to a size
2 , my favorite is a size 8. While the fly has a very simple looking appearance
to it, this fly fishes the socks off of almost any other streamer I've ever
used.
Cypert's Mylar Minnow:
Hook: Mustad 9672 size 2- 8
Thread: 6/0 red
Tail: teased out mylar tube, size small
Rib: none
Body: looped ultra med chenille tied at back
Eyes: small silver pull chain
Overbody: small mylar tube pulled over eyes and tied in back
To tie: figure 8 wrap eyes and super glue. Tie in thread above bend. Loop
vernille over eye in a loop and tie at back, repeat both sides. Loop mylar
over hook eye, pull mylar over chain eyes by forcing the braid through the
hook eye and tie at back. ( in otherwords the braid is pulled onto the hook
and folded in half..1/2 on the top, 1/2 on the bottom............). Tease
out remaning pieces of mylar for a tail. The tail, top and bottom of the
fly are all of one piece of mylar tube. For eyes cut a piece of a pull chain
with pliers off a basement light...better yet shorten the neighbors's that
you're mad at so he'll have to use a ladder to turn on the lights. ( Eyes
are cut such that two beads are attached to each other...use a side cutters
or needle nose pliers.)
For a kit of all the materials to make this fly, please refer to the order info page.
My Uncle Paul's Bead Fly
A fairly "new" material in recent years had been the solid bead.
For as long as I can remember my Dad has fished my Uncle Paul's bead-head
squirrel tail fly and has always caught loads of fish on this fly. How my
Uncle Paul developed this I have no idea. I suppose the fly arose out of
a desire to tie flies in the late depression/World War II era when he didn't
have a tying vice, hackle and used a pair of pliers to hold the hooks and
used my Grandma's sewing thread to wrap the fly. After a little work my
Dad & I "unlocked" the secret to Uncle Paul's fly. Since my
Uncle is getting on years I don't think he would mind if I shared his fly
with you.
Uncle Paul's Squirrel Tail
Hook: Mustad 3366 size 4,6,10
Thread: 3/0 red
Bead: Med brass cyclops'eye or spinner bait beads-
(note: spinner bait beads are hollow and won't sink the fly as quickly...try
both.)
Tail and body: red fox squirrel tail (length=1 1/2 x the shank)
The trick in making this fly is to use a wide gap hook ( sproat bend) so
that the bead can slide up the shank. Begin by smashing down the barb. Bend
the gap of the hook out by pulling on the point with a pair of pliers or
put the hook in the vice and pull up on the shank. When you're finished
you'll have to bend the hook back, so don't go nuts. Slide the bead on the
hook. Wrap thread behind the bead to prevent it from slipping off. Wrap
squirrel tail around shank and tie a small collar. Apply a drop of super
glue to thread wraps to seal the fibers. For bluegill and crappie flies
use a size 10 hook and a small bead.
Email: Mike@eflytyer.com
For more Info Contact:
Mike Hogue / Badger Creek Fly Tying / 622 West Dryden
Road, Freeville, NY 13068
Phone: 607-347-4946