This stonecat streamer not only looks like the real minnow but when we swim it along the stream bottom it “acts” like the real minnow. At dusk when the naturals come out to feed, fish these deeply in the tails of the pools and below the riffles. From my youth when I saw all the local bass fishing heroes catching their largest smallmouth bass on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River with live madtoms (stonecat is just another name) I have had great respect for this bait.
Wade into the river just upstream of the riffles. Then wade upstream very slowly and fan your casts over all of the water ahead of me. A very slow stripping action will help you catch many large bass right up to dark. I would recommend fishing this on a 9ft 7-weight fly rod with a Bright Butt leader.
Tying the Stonecat Streamer
Hook: Mustad 9672 size 4
Thread: Kevlar, Brown
Tail: Calf Tail, Dark Brown
Body: Antron Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Wing: Saddle Hackle, Dark Brown
Accent Flash, Rainbow
Calf Tail, Dark Brown
Ribbing: Fine Wire, Gold
Head and Collar: Deer Body Hair, Dark Brown
Weight: Non Toxic Wire, 0.025
Cover the hook shank with tying thread and coat with head cement. Place six wraps of Lead Free Wire at mid shank and cover with tying thread. Tie in tail so it extends one inch beyond hook bend. Tie in four inches of Ribbing at hook bend. Dub body of streamer up to within one half inch of hook eye. Spiral ribbing through Dubbing and tie off and break off. Tie in Calf Tail and Accent Flash in front of Dubbing so it extends back to the end of the body. Then tie in hackle wings so they extend back to the tip of the tail. Tie in and spin the Deer Hair collar and head so the collar extends to end of the body. Trim head in a bullet shape. Apply whip finish and place head cement on whip finish.
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