I’ve been playing around with some new colors and flies. One fly I recently made is up top.

It is very simple, comprising of a size 10 hook, black thread, wire for weight, purple marabou feathers, and copper wire. After pinching down the barb and putting on some non-lead wire, copper wire and a marabou tail, I clip off the feather. I then create a dubbing loop, strip off some feather fibers, and cord up the loop. All that is wrapped around the hook and the wire goes on top of all that to add segmentation and secure the roped feather fibers. The last step is a touch of Loon UV Finish to harden the whip-finish knot.

I intentionally leave some of the feather fibers long. A Bad Hair Day look. My thinking is that the fibers will add great movement to the fly, which I’ve read is a key attribute of the Mop Fly. Adding CDC to some dries and nymphs has been an effective way to give movement to other flies.

This fly is very lightly weighted. I use some non-lead wire to give it a little bit of weight. The idea is to avoid “vertical drag.” With water so low. I want this fly to sink and swing very gently. And, I don’t want a loud splash when it hits the water. Olive worked very well last time. I’ve also tied one up in black, but with a different profile: a stubby tail and a very thin body on a size 12 hook.

If I am tightlining a deeper run, I will pair this with a tungsten anchor fly. So, will see how this fly does next time out.