Bailes' Modern Muddler Minnow Variant

Tied by J. Stockard Pro Tyer Brandon Bailes
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This modern take on the Muddler Minnow comes from J. Stockard Pro Tyer Brandon Bailes, who’s built a reputation for creating flies that work hard in real-world fishing conditions. His version of this classic streamer has been adapted specifically for targeting smallmouth bass and trout in smaller water—those tight creeks, shallow runs, and pocket-water stretches where stealth and subtlety matter.

What sets this pattern apart is the bend of the hook and the sculpted muddler-style head, which together create an erratic swimming action that triggers strikes even when fish are wary. Unlike many small streamers that are heavy on profile but light on movement, Bailes’ Muddler lands softly and comes to life underwater: fluttering, darting, and convincing fish to commit.

It’s especially effective in low water conditions where traditional streamers might land too hard or spook the fish before they’ve even had a chance to inspect. Whether you’re swinging it through current, twitching it along undercut banks, or stripping it back slowly in shallow water, this fly keeps working long after flashier patterns lose their appeal.

Materials

Hook: Ahrex TP650 size 2
Thread: UTC 140 for the body and Veevus GSP 200D for the collar/head
Tail: Peacock Sword
Body: Flashabou , coated with Solarez UV Bone Dry
Wing Support: Bucktail
Over Wing: Peacock Sword
Head: Deer belly hair, coated with RaidZap UV Thi

Step 1

Begin the Modern Muddler Minnow by tying in a tapered clump of peacock sword at the rear of the hook shank. The length of the sword should be the same as the length of the hook shank.

Step 2

Tie in 3-4 strands of Flashabou and palmer forward and tie off.

Step 3

Coat the flashabou body with UV resin and cure. This is done instead of adding a rib for durability.

Step 4

Next tie in a sparse clump of bucktail on top of the hook shank. The length should be just short of the tail.

Step 5

Add a generous clump of peacock sword on top of the bucktail support (a tad shorter) and whip finish the UTC 140.

Step 6

Now tie on the Veevus 200D thread and tie in a 'half pencil size' of stacked & aligned deer hair with the hair tips. This will serve as the collar of the fly and the butts should be trimmed tight to the hook shank.

Step 7

After the collar is tied in, stack on similar size clumps of deer hair on the top and bottom of the shank until you reach the hook eye.

Step 8

Using a piece of the thin plastic with a slit cut in to it, work your thread to the front of the plastic and whip finish.

Step 9

Finally, begin to trim the head with scissors and a razor blade. Be mindful of the hook bend and take your time, removing small amounts of hair at a time. Once you have achieved the overall shape you can round the edges and then apply uv thin resin to the top and bottom of the head.