Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 15

Mop Flies and Squirmy Wormies are year-round producers
for trout and steelhead. They are easy to use, easy to tie, and
catch fish.
Mop Fly literally consists of pieces from a microfiber
mop. Many fly shops sell pre-cut lengths of Mop Fly
material, generally overpriced, or you can purchase
several yards of mop chenille and cut it to length
yourself. A lifetime's worth of Mop Fly material can be
bought from any local hardware store or online retailer
for a fraction of the cost.
To tie the Mop Fly, slide a small bead snug against the
eye of the hook and secure a strand of microfiber from
a mop or bathroom rug behind it. Almost any color will
catch fish, but pink, white, and chartreuse are common
favorites. Ice fibers or hareline dubbing can be added to
cover the connection between the material and bead and
add sparkle. The tail of the Mop Fly has plenty of lifelike
action akin to a big, juicy grub floating in the current. I
make the tails of my Mop Flies approximately twice the
length of the hook shaft.
Squirmy Wormies are just as easy to tie. In appearance
and design, Squirmy Wormies are direct descendents of
the San Juan Worm. The distinguishing feature between
the two flies is the material used to create the body, in
this case silicone rather than chenille. Cut a 4-inch length
of material and place it on the hook shank, leaving about
A collection of Squirmy Wormies in various colors.
11/2 inches as a tail. Secure it with a few loose wraps of
thread. Advance the thread just behind the bead on the
hook. Then, wrap the silicone material toward the front.
The most difficult part of tying this fly is the fragile
material. The thread can slice through it, so you have
to be gentle when tying off the thread and not cinch it
too tight. Also, lacquer head cement will eat through
the material, so use water based head cement. My
favorite colors for this fly are red, fluorescent green, and
earthworm brown.
Next time you are on the water and trout are not
cooperating, give Mop Flies and Squirmy Wormies a try.
They may lack the aesthetic beauty of classic patterns, but
there is no doubt junk flies catch fish.
November/December 2022
15

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022

Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 7
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 10
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 12
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 15
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover4
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