Tying the Cougar Minnow with Kelly Galloup

In this video, Kelly ties up Zoo Cougar variation that can be fished many different ways, although its original intent was to be fished on the swing.
Cougar Minnow Recipe
Hook: TMC 7999
Body: Large Silver UTC Holographic Tinsel - www.slideinn.com/product/utc-...
Underwing: Natural Gray Squirrel Tail - www.slideinn.com/product/utc-...
Wing: Natural Mallard Flank - www.slideinn.com/product/mall...
Head: Natural Deer Hair - www.slideinn.com/product/natu...

[@Podobed]

I don't know how videos like these can get any thumbs down. Kelly- if you read these comments I've been absolutely devouring your series on natural flies like this- the mini marabou muddler, gartside hopper, letort hopper, etc. As a new school guy there is always a starting point and it's generational where very few people anymore go backwards. That's pretty much all I've been doing personally. I've been learning and tying stuff from maybe the early 90's and prior. Stuff like Shane Stalcup's bugs, Ed Shenk's stuff, Dan Byford (creator of the zonker), Vincent Marinaro, even guys like Randall Kaufmann who I only really knew 2 patterns of his prior to digging in- his stonefly and his Timberline Emerger. Thank you for the continued motivation and the wonderful videos.

[@hrenthegreat]

Really loving these off-the-shelf patterns!

[@georgehyker]

Great video. The details on the why and how and closeups keep me coming back.

[@jebar01]

I love this pattern. I have been tying them for my friends with success, Thanks.

[@jasonking4266]

Absolutely love this! Had some good luck swinging the mini dungeon, have to spin some of these babies up 👍

[@hankvana2149]

Nice one Kelly! Should be good for warm-water species as well. I prepare all my own squirrel tails - remove the bone and comb the hairs so that they dry perpendicular to the tail so the ends are all even when I cut off the clump I want. Cheers!

[@leebrown5584]

Love this fly can not wait to try it out

[@termite122]

brilliant how u cut and tied on the squirrel tail!

[@tylerpearce2891]

Like these simple flies that I can learn on

[@normanschillerstrom1226]

I tied this one but I really struggled with the amount of deer hair to use. But I managed 😂

[@gregoryc8208]

Another great video! Was wondering what size range of hook sizes you tie this fly on? Thanks

[@TheSlideinn]

Greg, mostly 4 and 6 but you could do it on any size you like. Kelly

[@gavinrueda2119]

I’m a youth fly fisherman and I am looking at getting a streamer set up what would you recommend for an inexpensive all purpose streamer line?

[@leemowers9395]

Nice fly

[@Oldmanflyfishing]

Found this cougar minnow hanging around the local watering hole

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Streamer Jesus. I’d buy that t-shirt.

[@kaceesavage]

New guy here, curious if I could throw this with a 4wt. Thanks!

[@oak8728]

Heck yeah! Deer hair holds no water, and the flank minimal. This would be a blast to play with on lighter rods for large Rockies trout. Or summer steelhead, it’s real close to one of the summer steelhead muddlers I tie.

[@kaceesavage]

@@oak8728 great, thanks a lot!

[@TheSlideinn]

Kacee, for sure its very light fly. Welcome and thanks for watching. kelly

[@kaceesavage]

@@TheSlideinn Thank you! Great video!

[@TheCanary24]

👍

[@DarwinSwimsWithTheFish]

Put a box of baking soda in the sealed container to reduce the smell.

[@imaxfli]

Is 6/0 Nanosilk stronger than a 3/0 monochord???

[@TheSlideinn]

Mark, I have no actual number on it but if I had to guess, 4 to 5 times stronger, it really is impossible to break without nicking the hook, you could easily break your hook off before you would break the thread. Kelly

[@imaxfli]

@@TheSlideinn What is the name of the thread...you don't show it....Nanosilk Semperfly????

[@flyfishjones]

So do you fish this on top?

[@dashippo]

On top of what ? It's a minnow

[@dmowolfenspeedster]

18:40 holds the answer you seek.

[@dmowolfenspeedster]

@@dashippo on top of the "water column", it's a fly. Flys are fished from on top of the water surface all the way to the bottom of the water column. It's a legitimate question to ask.

[@dashippo]

@@dmowolfenspeedster If you're skating it, calling it a minnow is deceiving.

[@flyfishjones]

@@dmowolfenspeedster Thanks, I've heard of surface skating muddler patterns for Salmon, but the concept is kinda new to me. My pap taught me how to swing wets and to me that's a subsurface game when fish arent rising.

[@academicmailbox7798]

This thing of fishing. Using the streamers. In the small creeks or streams. Is a very specific. Kind of angling.

[@academicmailbox7798]

It's really not the same. As what a lot of anglers will do. In those huge water ways. In which the best streamer trout fly fishing anglers. Are always photographed fishing in. That is the thing. Which strikes me a lot. About this fishing fly. The other option of course. Is when one decides. To fish in the larger river. Where one is fishing. From a bankside. Not in an actual drift boat (say, the optimal position from which to make a cast to the bank and retrieve towards deeper water). Where one might be fishing. In a larger river. Standing on the river bank. And searching around the areas. That happen to be located. Near to one's own river bank.

[@academicmailbox7798]

That is. If one were to fly fishing using streamer flies. In a large river. Where one had intended to make it. Into a smaller river. Or for that matter. The edge of a lake side. Where one is slowly. Working along its banks too. And one was trying to wait. For a moving trout. To come along. Looking to ambush the fly.

[@academicmailbox7798]

The smaller creek type of angling though. Is a very specific kind of fishing. Whether one is looking. To target trout. Who are resting along side banks. And may be tempted. With the terrestrial dry fly imitation. Of a fish that might also. Be hunting for something that swims in the water. Along by the edges of a small creek. It's a very different streamer fly angling. To the one that. Most people may have in their minds.

[@academicmailbox7798]

When I do think about it though. While David Whitlock as a fly angler. People may have been critical at one point. That the 'streamer' flies. That David Whitlock became famous for making. Years ago. Where David would use. His hopper dry fly. Surface patterns. Almost inter-changeably. With the other early streamer fly, under water fly patterns. It has to be noted too. That where David was interested in fly fishing. Much of the time. Were in some of the smaller streamers and rivers. Where the brown trout. Were even in the process. Of being introduced. Into that habitat. To promote things like recreational angling. In parts of the country. That did not have access to that.

[@academicmailbox7798]

When one got to the great western States and rivers. Or any large flowing water system in fact. It could be argued there. That one might have wanted to change one's tactics. And we got all of the articulated flies. And the marabou construction. Of the later streamer fly patterns. When that style of fishing. Became more of a thing. It could also be argued. That one of the early origin points. Of the streamer fly fishing thing. Was actually, this fishing. In the much smaller places.