Mop Fly – Worm/Grub Pattern

The Mop Fly is the fly that fly fishing purists love to hate — and fish love to eat. Made from a simple piece of mop-like chenille material on a hook, it imitates caddis larvae, crane fly larvae, grubs, and other soft-bodied creatures that trout eat off the bottom. It's ugly, it's controversial, and it catches a ridiculous number of fish.

When to Fish It

Year-round, especially when nothing else is working. Fish it deep, near the bottom, with a dead-drift through runs and pools. It's particularly effective in high or off-color water, during non-hatch periods, and on pressured water where trout have seen every "pretty" fly in the book. The soft material has a natural movement in the current that triggers feeding. Size 16.

Specs

• Type: Nymph — Grub / larva imitation
• Hook: Jig or standard nymph hook
• Weight: Bead head — moderate sink rate
• Best for: Trout — all water types, especially tough conditions
• Technique: Dead-drift on the bottom, indicator nymphing, euro nymphing

Why Anglers Stock This Fly

You can roll your eyes at the Mop Fly or you can catch fish on it. We recommend the latter. It works because the material moves naturally and the profile matches a variety of soft-bodied larvae that trout eat every day. It's banned from some competitions for being too effective — take that however you want. Hand-tied with quality materials by tiers with over 30 years of experience.

🎣 More "dirty" flies? Browse our Worms & Dirty Flies collection.