My Simple Tips for Tying a Mop Fly That Works

I'll be honest, the first time I tried tying a mop fly, I felt a little bit like a cheat. There I was, sitting at a desk covered in high-end hackle and expensive synthetic dubbing, but I was holding a piece of a $5 floor mat I'd bought at a discount store. It felt wrong, almost like I was bringing a microwave dinner to a five-star potluck. But then I took that weird-looking thing to the river, and the local trout absolutely hammered it. ...

February 12, 2026 · 7 min · Clary Reto