Slightly disturbing. The kit is a small piece of waxy release card with what looks a lot like three filleted and flattened fish stuck to it…looking back up at me…accusingly!

Gummy Minnows are being fished and developed around the saltwater fishing world; in this country I would think of bass and pollack. The flattened fish are of course layers of gummy stuff, forming the pearly/clear belly and darker dorsal surface of a wee baitfish, with a couple of eyes thrown in for good measure. Looks to me like each of these is built of three layers, the patches are shaped. They may need a little finishing trim, but you could pretty much complete a fly by just sticking these to a hook.

To make a Gummy Minnow, I can simply fit a patch to a hook. Or I can wrap a hook with lead wire, or wrap on a buoyant foam underbody and then fold the prepared patch over the hook and the very sticky, self-adhesive glue sticks the fly together. Normally, I would stick on the eyes last, using the patch I have to place the patch to suit where the eyes are. Dead easy.

Priced at £6.99, each kit is three prepared minnows. I need some hooks, maybe a little lead and foam. That kit price sounded expensive, until I checked the price of finished flies; I can pay as much for one finished fly. Three colours here, green, blue and grey and three sizes – small, medium and large; the packs seem to suggest hook sizes, #6, #4 and #2 – I’d take that as a guide and adapt to your preferred hook.

  • Price: £6.99
  • From: Veniard stockists.