How to Tie the Mushmouth Fly Pattern

Learn how to tie the Mushmouth fly pattern including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly tying skills here.

Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. We are not a blog or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us

Designed by Dave Skok with some help from Chris Aubut, the Mushmouth is an awesome baitfish pattern that you can fish for just about anything that eats other fish. This pattern was initially designed whenever Dave and Chris found themselves against large schools of blitzing skipjack tuna in Rhode Island. These fish were incredibly tough to fool and focused on eating tiny herring--born out of necessity, the Mushmouth was created from this. Easy to tie and nearly non-fouling, you can modify this fly to match anything from bunker and herring to sandeels and silversides. Throw it in the salt or the freshwater, this fly just plain works.

Recipe

• Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 Wide Gap Hooks
• Thread: UNI-Mono Translucent Clear Thread
• Spine/lateral line: Just Add H20 Steve Farrar SF Blend and Hedron Dyed Pearl Flashabou
• Body: Hareline Ice Wing Fiber
• Eyes: Hareline Adhesive Eyes
• Adhesives: Liquid Fusion

Step One

Establish a thread base by running the thread from below the hook's eye to the point.

Step Two

For the Mushmouth's spine, secure a section of the SF Blend material on the hook's center, then clip off the excess forward-facing material. Be sure the fibers run approximately one and a half times the shank's length.

Step Three

Add to the pattern's spine by tying fifteen strands of Flashabou over the SF blend, then clip the outward-facing material.

Step Four

Before moving on to the Mushmouth's next section, facilitate moving the spine to a slightly upright position by wrapping the thread a few times at the material's rear end.

Step Five

Coat the first half of the spine with the Liquid Fusion Adhesive. This is a critical step, so be sure to apply a liberal amount of Liquid Fusion to harden the fibers.

Step Six

After letting the Liquid Fusion cure, pinch-wrap a clump of the yellow Hairline Ice Wing Fiber on top of the spine for the body.

Step Seven

The pattern's underbelly also consists of Ice Wing Fiber (in the UV Silver). Manipulate a segment of the material over the hook’s point and tie it on underneath the yellow Ice Wing material.

Step Eight

Pull the Ice Wing material rearward for the head, lay several wraps below the hook's eye, and secure a whip finish.

Step Nine

The tying section of the pattern is finished but let's clean up the Mushmouth by carefully trimming the fibers with our scissors.

Step Ten

Place the eyes on a coating of UV Resin at the Mushmouth’s head, then cure it with the UV Light.

Step Eleven

Before the Mushmouth is ready to hit the water, apply another layer of UV Resin over the eyes, smooth over with the bodkin, then cure the resin with the UV Light.