http://www.wsj.com/articles/fly-fishing-renegades-are-cleaning-upwith-kitchen-mops-1476450649
Not a subscriber to the WSJ but here’s a link on a pattern a local guy is doing well with on the Chattahoochee.[video]https://youtu.be/hOnnTXgKYiM[/video]
Go to this search and you can see the article without being a WSJ subscriber
Interesting; I think I’ll give it a try. But I detected what to me is an oxymoron in the article: “competitive fly fisher”.
I wonder if it will work in the low, clear water we’re experiencing here in PA?
I picked up a mop at the dollar store several months ago and tried the mop flies. Mine are a more neutral tan colored, rather than the bright green, blue, or orange that are frequently seen. I just lash the mop plume to a #10 or #12 hook behind a tungsten bead. On some I’ve added a few turns of soft hackle and / or a bright hot spot.
I can’t say that I’ve found these flies to be magic fish catchers, but they are effective at times and have earned some space in my fly box. I like to think that they imitate crane fly larva (especially in the tan color), but that might be rationalizing them on my part. In any case, they have been a addition to my selection of large attractor type nymph flies that I belovedly think of as “junk” flies – San Juan Worms, crane fly larva, Pat’s Rubber Legs, etc.
I tied some chartreuse ones up (SIZE 10) from my wife’s keyboard duster( whoopsie) I caught 4 or 5 trout and a 3 lb fresh water drum drifting under an indicator. Other flies worked as well so not much of a test
Anyone have a good non-video link to a SBS? I can’t watch fly tying videos…they annoy me
step 1 cut chenille off mop & adjust length of hook
step 2 lash front 1/4 to hook
step 3 add darker fur collar … ie make it look like a caddis larva or crane fly lava
most i have seen have a brass or tungsten bead sized to hook
Not much to these things, but here’s a SBS for one variation … https://flymenfishingcompany.com/blogs/blog/88763905-3-minute-fly-tie-the-mottlebou-mop-fly