If you haven’t already filled your fly boxes for the upcoming season, it’s time to either head to your vise or place an order with your favorite fly tier.

In March Madness lingo, we’re in the fourth quarter.

Some of the best fly fishing action of the year, in both streams and lakes, takes place in early spring.

And, in early spring, your flies don’t have to be complex and complicated to fool trout warming up after a cold winter.

In many cases, simpler is better.

For the past several years, one of my go-to early season flies has been the Minimal Minnow.

I learned this pattern many years ago.  So long ago I’ve forgotten its real name or originator.

This fly is truly an example of less is more.

For tiers, wrap in a few white marabou tips, then follow with a pair of peacock herl tips.

No doubt sparseness is a prime reason for its effectiveness.  Even slight movements of current or retrieval produce fish-enticing motion.

I’m also a believer in using a model perfect design hook for a larger hook gap.

I fish this fly on a floating line with 12-foot leader/tippet combination. Use the lightest weight tippet that will handle your expected fish.

Cast the fly into the quicker water next to a seam, then let it drag into slower water where hungry trout await.

Recipe: Hook: Mustad 9671, size 8

Body:  White marabou tips (sparse)

Countershade: Peacock herl tips