[Ishpah]

Way back, just after I started tying flies, Outdoor Life or Field and Stream ran an article by some long forgotten author. The article was about the 10 best flies to have in your fly box. Of the ten, I can remember only three. Muddler Minnow was one and the other two I remember were Doc Spratley and Tom Thumb.
I started tying the Muddler Minnow in the natural colors, turkey quill, deer hair, tinsel and polar bear hair.
I had limited success with it until I was fishing one day at Echo Lake east of Lumby BC.
It seemed that all I could catch were small native kokanee.
As I passed this shoal area, a fellow in an anchored boat was casting out over the shoal with a wet line. He paused momentarily to let the line sink and then he would start stripping it in with a quick short jerk, rest a second and repeat the performance. There generally wasn't a third attempt as it was fish on.
I asked what he was using, Muddler Minnow says he. Muddlers were kinda unheard of at the time. I got some of those and what color asks the fellow. Regular color. Oh they may not work as well as what Im using. And color is? Green he says. I tried mine anyhow and they caught fish and yes continued to our fish me.
Try to find material in any other color was nigh impossible so I began the dyeing material phase. There must have been a run on green dyes because all I could find was spruce green. Go with what's handy. Next lake a short time later, was Alleyne Lake south of Merritt BC. Casting over the shoal with spruce green Muddler netted fish after fish.
I still tie the Muddler, spruce green, green green, rouge, natural, a couple of dark browns. black. And if I cannot find the color I want, I'll dye it.
I think the Muddler Minnow is the most versatile fly there is and fly fisherman should not be without a few in his flybox.