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Current Tags for This Pattern
/ Black / Brown / Brown Trout / Chenille / Foam / Gurgler / Marker / Mouse / smallmouth / Smallmouth Bass / Yellow /

Approxi-Mouse

 
tied by saintnicholas
Target Species: Trout,
Imitation: Mice,
Material List:
Size 6-10 streamer or dry fly hook
3/0 Kevlar Thread
Tail: Brown Round Rubber
Back/Head: Brown Foam
Legs: Brown Round Rubber
Body: Pearl, Yellow, or Brown Body Brite or other sparkle chenille.
Ears: Tan Foam
Eyes/Nose: Black Marker

Optional: Weed Guard (also helps keep the legs from fouling in the bend)

Tying Instructions: 1. Pre Make Tail: Cut a piece of round rubber 5x shank length. Secure end in vise and spin rubber between fingers (don’t stretch) until it wants to kink. While holding the end, pinch the middle of the strand with your other hand. Bring the “spinning end” up to the vise (folding the rubber in half) and release the other hand and the rubber will furl. Mess with it until it looks nice. Pinch the two ends together with a pair of hackle pliers and remove from vise.
2. Wrap thread on hook and secure tail so it is about 2x shank length. Trim excess.
3. Cut a rectangle of foam a bit longer than 2x shank length by about 3/8” wide. Secure center of foam at the back of the shank over the tail, rolling foam down around sides of the hook shank. Coat shank with Super Glue and palmer-wrap the thread forward over foam, still rolling foam around shank until you reach the eye. This will add floatation and bulk to the body. Make a few wraps at the eye, you should have a flat lip of foam protruding over the eye 1/4” or more. Wrap back 1/3 of the shank length loosely.
4. Secure front legs so they are sweeping off the sides and back a bit. Move thread another 1/3 shank length back and secure back legs. Pull all 4 legs down and trim to desired length. I like mine long and wiggly.
5. Tie in chenille at back of shank and advance thread forward loosely over foam to eye. Wind on chenille being careful not to change the orientation of the legs. Secure at eye.
6. Pull foam over body, stretching slightly and secure at eye. You should have a couple of lips protruding over the eye now.
7. I use one square of tan foam that I tie in and then cut the ears out of. Make the square a bit narrower than the body where you've wrapped behind the head, and longer than you want the ears. When tying in the ear square over the body/head joint, put the thread right near the edge of the square so there is none to trim later. The square tends to slip out sometimes so some Super Glue is a good idea. Whip finish and cut thread. Fashion ears from the square by trimming to length and then rounding the corners, cutting a v in the center and then clipping straight down between the two ears. I found that this is easier than trying to tie in individual ears. I burn the edges for a nice effect. Try not to huff the fumes.
8. Put some Super Glue in between the lips and pinch them together to make the head. I pick up on the head while I do this so the mouse looks like he’s swimming with his nose up in the air. Cut the head so it’s an appropriate length, then trim the cheeks so the head is sort of triangular when viewed from the top. Use a fine tipped marker to draw a nose and eyes. Trim the Body Brite if it’s too fuzzy for your taste. Remove from vise and hold by the tail.

Presentation Tips: Cast the mouse near a bank so it lands with a plop (shouldn’t be too hard). Let sit for a bit and then drag it spastically so it creates a wake. I think that the nose is what makes the wake so nice. It’s really fun to fish with. I haven’t tried it on bass yet, but I have had some really finicky trout just pounce on it.