Virtual Minnow by Barry Ord Clarke

After securing the streamer hook in the vice run a small amount of clear melt glue along the top of the hook shank as shown. When the glue is dry (use 10 second melt glue) turn the hook over in the vice and carefully form the under belly of the minnow, If your glue is too runny you can shape the body with a wet finger and thumb. This also quickens the drying process

Place the hook the correct way in the vice and then if you are not satisfied with your minnow body shape, warm up the glue with a lighter (taking care not too burn it) and re-model again with wet finger and thumb. You can even shape it first with scissors and then take off the sharp edges with the lighter

Tie in your tying thread right behind the melt glue body. Cut a 5-6 cm length of the mylar tubing and remove the string core. Now place the sleeve over the minnow body, tie this in, fraying lcm to form the tail

Select a strip of rabbit zonker fur and prepare the tail end by cutting it to a point. Taking care not to damage the fur. Part the fur with the help of a dubbing needle and moist fingers at the desired position, and then tie it in over the same wrappings used to secure the maylar as shown. Finish with 2 or 3 half hitches. Apply a drop of cement to the tail whippings

Place the zonker strip back over the tail of the fly, and secure in a material clip, this will keep the fibres out of your way and make the next step easier. Make a couple of loose turns around the maylar sleeve so as to catch it just in the right position for the head. Now before you tighten these, pull the access maylar through the tying thread so as to tighten the sleeve around the body, and then pull down on your bobbin holder so as to tighten the tying thread and secure it in place

Once you have trimmed off the access maylar use your lighter again to burn off the rest. This is the advantage of using Nylon tying thread, it has a much higher burning point than plastic, so this should remain intact

Pull the zonker strip over the body and while holding it tight, separate the fur at the required position and tie in, but only with a couple of tight turns, tight in too the melt glue body. 

Carefully trim off the zonker strip and bum the head once again with the lighter. If done correctly you will see the remaining head of tanned rabbit hide, shrink and disappear under the tying thread, (giving a small neat finished head) whip finish

Stick on your chosen colour and size of Prisma tape eye and then varnish both tail and head whippings

Solid maylars can also be used to great effect with the melt glue body for making traditional zonker patterns