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Morrish Mouse – Tying Instructions

How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Meep, meep. Photos: Stuart Foxall.

We’re fast approaching one of our favorite times of year, mouse season! Chucking rodent patterns for voracious rainbow trout is one of our favorite past times, and we’re lucky to do a fair amount of it at our lodges.

In preparation of the upcoming season, today we present you with a great step by step, courtesy of our pal, Stuart Foxall, on how to tie one of our favorite mouse patterns, the Morrish Mouse – An extremely effective, durable, and virtually unsinkable mouse fly.

Enjoy!

Morrish Mouse – Tying Instructions

During the early summer at Alaska West, the fun of skating a mouse pattern for beautiful leopard rainbow trout can come pretty thick and fast. Therefore, you want a dependable mouse pattern that floats well, can be easily cast, and doesn’t fall apart after a few aggressive trout. Ken Morrish’s mouse pattern ticks all the boxes for the mousing game!

The material list is simple. You’ll need black zonker strips, black closed-cell foam, natural deer hair, and I suppose most importantly a good strong thread. However, don’t use Kevlar thread, as it has a tendency to cut the foam and the deer hair when tightened.

How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 1: Prepare a tail by cutting a short length of black zonker strip, trimming the fur from the leather, except for a small tuft left at the back of the tail as shown. Catch in the tail at the bend of the hook.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 2: Cut a piece of foam tapered slightly as shown.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 3: Tie the tapered end of the foam in at the tail. This will provide the back of the fly.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 4: Cut off a small piece of deer hair and comb out the underfur.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 5: Here’s the clever bit. Trim the deer hair to length before tying in. This will lead to a more natural looking fly at the end. We want the hair to be a little longer at the back of the mouse (to look like it’s rear quarters), and shorter at the head. This will create a ‘wedge’ shape which will create a better wake.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 6: Tie in the deer hair all around the shank of the hook and let it flare.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 7: Continue tying in small bunches of deer hair along the hook shank. I prefer to tie in the hair pointing backwards (so the butts of the hair point towards the front).
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 8: On the last bunch of deer hair, catch the hair in facing the opposite direction (with the tips facing towards the front of the fly. This will create a natural looking ‘face’ to the mouse.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 9: Trim the top of the deer hair flat. This will make it easier to tie down the foam. I also prefer to whip finish the thread at this point to keep it from slipping.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 10: Tie down the foam at the head of the fly.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 11: The lip of foam can now be trimmed at the head. However, I prefer to fold over the foam to create a larger head which I feel creates more of a disturbance, something that’s required to interest trout. I’ve also cut in some ear shapes for an added bit of fun. Whip finish below the foam.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
Step 12: Turn your mouse upside down and trim the deer hair to create a flat belly. This will allow the fly to ‘sit’ in the water better.
How to tie the morrish mouse fly pattern
And that’s your finished Morrish Mouse. Make sure not to trim the sides of the fly. This leaves the deer hair tip nice and free, leaving softer fur that will move in the current (like kicking legs of the mouse). Plus, softer fibers are less likely to get ‘bumped’ so easily when a trout (or grayling) decides to attack your fly. All you need to do now is cast out and Squeek as loud as you can on each cast.. It does attract those trout!

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Comments

  1. Size seems to make a difference being trout often are exposed to Voles that are not very large. What’s your thoughts on that aspect?
    Wish I could work out a late, low light float, and experience the fun of fishing a mouse pattern, and landing a trout one one. Seems to be necessary to fish a mouse pattern at nite here in Snake River country, and the forks of the Snake.

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