There’s a long history of fly patterns–the San Juan Worm, beadhead nymphs, Gummy Minnows, etc.–that some anglers object to because the patterns are too much like lures or don’t seem to imitate a specific trout food. The Mop Fly definitely fits into this category, and each time Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions has posted versions of the Mop (such as the the Mop ‘n’ Glo and the Mop ‘n’ Glo 2.0) some folks have grumbled about them.
Now Tim has come up with what he believes is a Mop Fly that closely imitates a cranefly larva (see above), and the pattern is ridiculously easy to tie. In this week’s video, he walks you through the steps, teaching you how to handle the materials and make a cool dubbing noodle along the way. So twist up a few of these, guilt-free, and then try them on your favorite stream.
Kinder, Gentler Mop Fly
Hook: Scud/pupa hook (here a Dai-Riki #135), size 12.
Thread: Dark gray, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Body: Mottled gray segment from a mop or auto wash mitt.
Head: Gray rabbit-fur dubbing.
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