Hareline Floating Minnow Head Cutter

What it is

The Hareline Floating Minnow Head Cutter is a compact tool for punching out floating minnow heads. It uses double-edge steel blades set into a hardwood base so you get precision cuts with consistent symmetry. It’s lightweight with an ergonomic grip, and built to hold up at the bench.

What to tie with it

Use it to cut floating minnow heads that you can slide onto the front of a streamer and glue in place. After the head is on, you can finish the fly by painting it as desired and layering it over flash and other minnow-style wing materials. It’s also handy when you’re tying short-hook, long-profile baitfish patterns where the head shape needs to stay repeatable from fly to fly.

Flies and the fish they're for

This cutter shows up in tying the Clouser Floating Minnow, a baitfish-style pattern fished for species that key on small minnows. Fish it in freshwater for bass, especially in rivers and stillwaters where baitfish are present, and in saltwater for inshore predators like redfish around flats and marsh edges. The consistent, symmetrical head helps those minnow-profile flies track cleanly when you’re stripping or swinging them.