Mini Minnow Magic by Dave Magner

Fishing fads and fashions come and go, so it's easy to forget just how effective some of the established styles of lure fishing can be. Some of us still remember the good times you can have with mighty mini minnows.

Until recently, the most popular lures in this country were small hard-bodied minnows and plugs. These tiny wobbling artificials have always been favoured by sporting anglers and with good reason. In the right hands, they are highly effective fishing tools, which can be used to catch everything from bream and flathead to bass and trout.

The main advantage small hard-bodied lures have over other lure types such as soft plastics or spinnerbaits is that they usually float, or in some circumstances, have a negative buoyancy. This allows them to dive to a predetermined depth and then either float back up towards the surface or simply suspend when the retrieve is stopped.