How to Tie the Ghost Baby Fat Minnow

Producer: Fly Fish Food

The Baby Fat Minnow needs no introduction—it’s caught fish all over the world and across countless species. But Cheech from Fly Fish Food still wanted to improve it. Sometimes that means refining the original pattern, and other times it means creating something completely new. For this version, he wanted a more translucent look to make it appear more realistic in the water. He also noticed that the marabou tail would sometimes bunch up on the pause, so he swaps it out for flash to keep the profile clean and consistent. So far this summer, it’s been one of Cheech’s top-producing patterns, especially in waters where fish are keying in on minnows. Tie a few up and give them a swim!

Ghost Baby Fat Minnow
Hook: Barbless carp hook (here, a Fulling Mill 2500 Bonio), size 10.
Bead: Nickel tungsten bead, 2.8mm.
Thread: White, 140-denier.
Tail 1: Mother of Pearl, Lavender, and Yellow Pearl Ice Wing Fiber, mixed.
Underbody:  Pearl red hue Ice Dub.
Tail 2: Mother of Pearl, Lavender, and Yellow pearl Ice Ice Wing Fiber, mixed.
Back: Minnow Back Ice Wing Fiber.
Head top: Alpha Wolf Bruiser Blend Junior dubbing.
Head bottom: Cream Bruiser Blend Junior dubbing.
Back colors: Sepia and black indelible markers.
Botton color: Tannish brown and orange indelible markers.
Gills: Black and red indelible markers.
Adhesive #1: Superglue.
Eyes: Chartreuse stick-on epoxy eyes, 3mm.
Adhesive #2: Solarez UV-cure resin, medium.
Tools: Dubbing brush, hair comb, flat pliers, bodkin.