Fly Tying: The Ichabod Artimouse

Can one think too much about mousing for trout? Maybe. If it is possible, I'd be more than guilty. As I spend most of my time mousing nocturnally, and the visual aspects are not the same as daytime, it has made understanding night-time trout behavior a slow process. To add to the difficulty, trout in different locations and different times of year behave differently enough that on more than one occasion I have been forced to question the meaning of life... or just my current tactic. I kid, but seriously, what else does one do when casting and retrieving in the solitude of the stars. And, just when I think I am starting to figure things out, some new idea or view comes to my attention. It's quite the process, but I love it.

Along this journey of piscatorial exploration fly patterns are like way-points. People who prefer to tie and fish their own patterns rarely stick with a particular pattern indefinitely. This may even be the case when a fly has proven effective. As new patterns emerge, those left behind serve as tangible glimpses into their designer's past. Many fail to see it, but both the tyer, and often their close friends recognize the memories held in one little fly. I see some of my own history through those little creations. It's a history of learning, and I often find myself wanting to tell people that "I used to tie it that way, but now I do it this way." When that urge arises, I often want to include accompanying explanations as to whys.

Well, here I am again, doing just that.

This post -->  Mousing: The hookup problem is a precursor to this post, and pattern. It presents some of the problems faced when mousing at night, many of which I try to address with this pattern.

Fly Tying: The Ichabod Artimouse

Fortunately, the Ichabod Artimouse is a relatively simple pattern to tie. Unfortunately, that does not make it a fast fly to tie. The following is a list of what you will need to tie one up.

Ingredients:

Hooks
-Size 2/0, Gamakatsu Fine Wire Worm Hook
-Size 4, Gamakatsu B10S Stinger Hook
-Size 1/0 Matzuo Baitholder Offset Straight Eye Hook (you could use a wire shank here)
Head
-Foam head (old/cheap flip flop, large double barrel popper head, foam shop mat, or layered foam)
-Tube fly tubing (clear pen tube with a pipe cleaner, or any other sturdy fly tube)
-2 or 3mm foam sheet
-UV Glue
Body
-Yarn Bee Gilt Eyelash Yarn (I use black when using this material) OR -Rabbit Strip, like the original Artimouse (whichever color you prefer)
-Ice Dubbing (again, I use black for my night pattern, but you could definitely mix it up. A bright color may even somewhat resemble the classic Hemorrhoidal Mouse if put in the right area)
Legs
-Medium Round Rubber Legs (I prefer medium because when furled, the knots usually hold. The larger doesn't without a speck of super glue) (whichever color you prefer)
Tail
-Rabbit Strip (for this pattern, I used black, but you can mix it up)

The two following videos are both tutorials for the mouse pattern, but the first is a very succinct version, for those who just want that. The second is longer, and has much more commentary on the different parts. After the videos, I have included the reasons why I came up with the pattern in the first place.





When I first shared the Artimouse, it was fascinating to behold the changes that occurred in the world of mousing for trout. I've noted many people and patterns influenced, many of which I'm sure have no clue. That's just the nature of the internet. Now I see angled, large foam floating heads, and furled legs on mouse patterns all over. It's cool to see such a ripple effect and I definitely love seeing the resulting beautiful fish from people using the pattern. People all over have since added their tweaks and personalized parts, which has also been fun to witness. But, I digress, so, back to the main idea. If the original Artimouse works, why change anything? I'm so glad you asked. The following video addresses the topic.

Mousing: The hookup problem

This post is a precursor to my new artimouse pattern. It has been affectionately dubbed the "Ichabod Artimouse". Its creation was to try and deal with some of these issues. Now, let's get nerdy.

Hookups and mousing sometimes feel like antonyms. It's as if they are the same poles of two magnets that we try to force together. For anyone who has dedicated time to mousing at night, they can attest to the low hookup to blowup ratio. This is not based on any scientific studies, but my experience leads me to say that in general only about 20-30% of mouse-takes at night result in a hookup. This number varies some according to location, retrieval direction and type, timing and speed of the set, size of fish, and the fly being used. I have had magical nights where everything fell into place and my hookup to miss ratio was much greater, but as a rule, I hook far less fish than I hear or see splash at my fly. But, why?

It is an issue that has been swimming around in the cerebral juices of my mind for the past few years. It does not help that the questions only multiply with added contemplation. Is it just part of mousing, and as such, is an un-fixable problem that mousers must live with?  How often are real mice missed in the wild? Is it all about retrieve and set style, or can fly design alter the outcome? Where to begin?

Problem #1 - Messy Takes

First and foremost, a mouse swimming in the water is a potential thanksgiving meal for an ambitious trout. The protein payoff is great, but the effort required to engulf and swallow such a large offering hardly matches the effort it takes to sip a small caddis. The angle of the take is a bit more vertical than a regular rise, as is evident by the toilet bowl flush/splash sound one hears in the darkness of night. It is usually violent. A fish that has committed to eating a poor amphibious mouse is out to kill, to drown, and often to eat. It's not pretty, and it's not clean cut. I think the fish that we hook are those who opt to eat their quarry whole and living, without the fear of being prey themselves. I guess we could call them raptor browns (think Jurassic Park raptors). With this carnal energy, combined with the angle of attack, it is not always easy for a trout to connect with the target. Items floating amid the waters surface tension act/react differently from items that are fully submerged. One moves out of the way easier than the other. It's worth thinking about. We can actually witness this whole messy take phenomenon in the following clip:



The fly is pushed out of the way, whereas if the same fly were subsurface it would be less likely to be pushed out of the way. I think this air-ball effect is often what is happening in the darkness of night, where both human and fish cannot see as well. We just aren't able to witness the fumbles visually. This brings up more questions. Does a smaller fly produce more hookups, or does a larger pattern?

Problem #2 - The Drowning Tail

This issue may well have been placed with the previous, but recent discovery of this video illustrated it so well that I thought I should give it separate attention. Often browns, especially those in slower waters, will try to drown the fly before consuming it. Often the tail is used as the tool. This also results in a very loud splashy noise, and if you are fishing in the dark of night, it's hard to tell the difference between a mouth-take and a tail-slap. So, naturally, we set on these tail-takes. We often feel the fish, but set only to find absolutely no resulting pressure. Because of this behavior, it can be very effective to cast the fly right back to where you felt the set, and let it linger there for a moment, occasionally adding very minute tremulous movements. The attacker may simply be hunting around in the darkness to find it's drowned victim. The following is a video that demonstrates this behavior exceptionally well.



Problem #3 - Big Fly, Little Fly

Flies, both big and little miss fish. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. To be honest, I'm still not decided on the matter. Small flies can certainly fit into a gaping brown trout kype with greater ease, and may leave hooks more exposed with the lesser amount of material used, but the target is harder to see (especially at night) and draws less attention in disturbed water. Smaller patterns can also be easier and less tiring to cast, but are also easier to push aside during an up-swelling take.

Larger patterns are easier to see in the dark, push more water, and can draw more attention. If they are articulated, their attraction factor increases with the extra jointed movement. This can add to the appeal and realism of the offering.  In some circumstances I have done better with smaller patterns, but in my experience, this has only been evident when it is smaller fish doing the taking. Larger flies that hold more water are less easily pushed out of the way, but the fish has to hit it at the right angle, as there is more to fit into the mouth. They can also be more difficult to cast with the greater wind resistance. I always start out with an artimouse type fly simply because it is my confidence pattern, and has proven itself again and again.

Problem #4 - Hook Placement and Type

With a larger pattern, where it presents an option, it seems that fish either go straight for the head, or nip the butt, or sometimes the tail of the fly. If the fly is presented right, in relation to how a fish is oriented in the current, the fish T-bones the fly (the best scenario for hookup in my opinion). Because fish generally go for the head or butt of the fly, hook placement can be the difference between a fishless night or one spent tussling with trout. If the hook is too far back (at the end of the tail), you can snag the fish, if it is too far forward, it doesn't usually stick. I'm not opposed to placing a hook at the end of the tail, but I rarely choose to do so. This is not for lack of experiementing and trying. If it has worked for you, cool beans, keep it up. Another issue with stinger hook placement is distance between the two hooks. Place them too close together, and it can cut your hook penetration power in half (much like a bed of nails distributes and lessens the pressure of any individual nail). I have found great success with only using the stinger hook (I prefer mine just after the butt of the fly). I think clipping off the front hook can not only maintain the available pressure/force, but also allow more momentum to build before the hook makes contact, which can result in greater penetration. Gotta love physics.

One issue that a friend of mine brought to my attention, in regards to stinger hooks was the way they behaved due to their design. With a stinger hook, if it has a short shank, the hook can easily turn away from the thing you are trying to stick it into. The eye of the hook, being closer to the bend of the hook, allows more movement away from the intended target. Also, the angle of the eye sets the hook point further out of the way. For this reason, I now place some tubing on my regular octopus stingers to keep the hook exposed and in the line of duty. Or, I simply use a longer shank-ed, straight-eyed hook. Because these are difficult concepts to explain and visualize, I created the following video:



One more thing that can reduce hookups has to do with the size of the hook itself. People often tie mouse flies on larger diameter wire hooks. The finer the wire of hook, the easier the penetration. I think misses and lost fish can occasionally be attributed to this factor. I prefer my hooks super sharp and my wire fine.

Problem #5 - Fly Mass

No matter what kind, or how much material you put into a mouse fly, it will not match the mass of the real deal. A real flesh and blood mouse has a greater mass, and therefore, is not moved or pushed away from the trouts mouth as easily as an imitation. I suppose we could make a pattern that weighed as much, but no one would want to cast it. Maybe I would on a spinning rod, but on a fly rod the thought isn't at all appealing. This is one area it is difficult to address with a fly. I often wonder how much it affects the outcome. Larger flies or materials that retain water may be less susceptible to this problem.

Problem #6 - Big Fly Heads

Fish commonly go for the head of a fly. Sometimes having a large foam, cork, or deer hair head can prevent the hookup. The fish often get the fly in their mouths, tension is felt, the angler sets, and then the fly comes flying back at the angler, without the fish in tow. Here is what I think is happening. Once the tension is felt and the angler sets, the big head forces the fishes mouth open. The jaw pops open because there is so much force placed on the fly and the fish doesn't have time to clamp back down on the hooks, which follow right behind the fly's head. I think this is one reason some anglers prefer the smaller flies. A smaller pattern usually has a small enough profiled head so as to not impede the hookset. With the bigger patterns, I think this downfall can be, at least partly, overcome by proper timing on a set.

Another problem with large foam heads is the water resistance they have. It's like attaching a large thingamabobber an inch or so from your hook. There's bound to be issues with the hookup and fight. I see three obvious problems it presents.

Firstly, when a fish takes the fly, the angler has to set hard enough to force the hook into the fishes lip. The force necessary is magnified considering the angler is pulling a chunk of foam through the water as well. The big head's ability to push water makes the mouse pretty irresistible to fish, but it adds a degree of difficulty in setting the hook. Two edged sword I suppose.

Secondly, water resistance and a large foam head also, in some cases, I think, cause the hook to work out once the fish is hooked. When a fish is thrashing around under water, the head has buoyancy force pushing it upward, making it want to float, as well as the force pushing it in the back and forth water resistance. It's no wonder it can pop out during the fight.

Third, and lastly, some sensitivity is lost. When a fish comes up and takes the fly from anywhere but the head, the fish must pull against the floating head for the angler to even feel something. Not all mouse takes at night are loud and splashy, in fact, I think the bigger the fish the less splashy and noisy a take is. If a big fish "sips" in your fly by the butt end, you aren't likely to even notice, and by the time you move to set, the fish has already let go.

These are some of the primary issues I have tried to address with my most recent mouse pattern, the Ichabod Artimouse (Ichabod Arti for short). Its tying tutorial will be put up shortly after this post.

Problem #7 - Setting Struggles (Timing)

On multiple occasions, I have found myself mousing right alongside a friend. One is hooking fish and the other is struggling to connect. Both fishing the same fly. Both fishing the same water. Both getting takes. Only one connecting. The difference? At least in part, it is the timing of the set. I once heard that in New Zealand, guides encourage their clients to say "God save the queen" before setting on their dryfly takes. This is to allow the fish to turn away, causing the line and in turn the hook to press against the fishes lip, so as to increase the chance of connecting with the hook. I have tried applying the technique to my mousing, and it makes all the difference. I used to be a big proponent for only setting once you feel tension. I have since changed my opinion of the matter. I now treat my mousing takes like a big fish dry fly take. Listen to the take, wait a moment for the fish to turn, then strip set hard (I often also add a rod set to this action). On one trip this year with a friend, who was in the exact same scenario I mentioned a moment ago, he finally got the extra pause down, and proceeded to hook up and land fish the rest of the night.

I think sometimes anglers think a fly does not work because they are struggling to hook a fish. They sometimes switch to a different mouse pattern and start having more success. There is nothing wrong with this, but I think the change in fly is more successful because it better matches that individual's technique rather than the fly itself being any more or less effective. Cast, retrieve, and even setting are all affected by the patterns we choose to fish. Go with your confidence fly, but remember there is always more to learn with other patterns, which leads me to the last problem.

Problem #8 - Impatience

Sometimes all we want to do is catch fish. I often find myself gravitating toward the places I have already known success. But, I also know the gratification of fishless nights of discovery and learning. Sometimes I want one, and sometimes I crave the other. Success is always sweeter with the latter. It is earned, and I always come away wiser and with more ideas. People don't have to enjoy the same things, or approach them the same as myself. I'm grateful that most do not, despite my liberal giving of information. For those who are interested in having more success with mousing, to you I say, do not give up. Limit yourself to only fishing one mouse pattern for the whole night. Try it for a whole day even. And don't give up on a specific location. Try it from different angles, different water levels/time of year, and with different retrieves. I have fished the same waters that others have pounded to death, only to find success from approaching it differently. If you keep getting blowups, but aren't getting it to connect, try slowing your retrieve down, waiting longer after the take, or set even when you don't feel tension. Success will always be hidden from the impatient, both in mousing and in life.

Final Thoughts

No matter what an angler does or fishes differently, I still think there will be plenty of missed fish, especially when chucking a mouse at night. Much of the missing, I think, is the nature of the beast. We anglers miss plenty of fish even in broad daylight. But, just like during the day, we can make adjustments to our technique and our gear to increase our odds. Once an angler gets these things in line, I'd dare say the hookup rate improves to around 80%, and 80% is a pretty epic night of mousing.

More Lessons in Mousing for Trout

How boring would our sport be, if there were not room to do things differently, to learn from our experiences, and to explore new ideas. I'm thankful the only thing keeping me from making more of my experiences is myself.

I wanted to take a moment and share a few things I have learned, or that have been reinforced over the past year concerning mousing for trout. I mostly fish mice at night, and I primarily target brown trout, so that may be something to take into consideration with the following rambling.


Trying It

The first thing I always tell someone when they are looking into mousing for trout, is to simply do it. It seems redundant, but I cannot emphasize this enough. When I first transitioned to fly fishing I had a hard time leaving the spinning rod and garden hackle at home. The doubt I had in my fly fishing potential pushed me to lean on my old ways, and they became a crutch, crippling my growth. It wasn't until the day I convinced myself to leave the old gear home that I started to see how it had held me back, and distracted my focus from where it needed to be in order find improvement with the alternative method. I remember going through the same process with steelheading. I knew I could catch them with the good old bait-caster. Even then it was sometimes a trial. It took time, but eventually I made the transition. That doesn't mean I don't use spinning rods anymore, but when I do it is not from a lack of confidence like it used to be. I went through the same process with streamers and European nymphing. The moral of the story is, sometimes we have to leave the things that keep us from growing behind. In the case of mousing, that may mean leaving all our other flies at home, and only taking the mouse pattern or patterns we have chosen to experiment with. The risk is that nothing may be caught, but by the end of the day, or night, we will have a much better feel of how our flies look in the water, and how they react to our retrieve.

Not everyone is willing to spend a whole day or night fishing and not catching, and that is okay. We are all at different stages in our angling, and one stage is not better than another. They're just different, and all are enjoyable for their own reasons. If these musings apply to you, cool, if not, don't sweat it.

Stripping

In previous articles I recommended stripping the line in slowly, trying to make the fly look and swim as natural as possible. In many cases I still feel this is most effective, but what this past year's mousing has taught me is that making a ruckus can really induce bites. The trick is to try multiple retrieves. I did really well with short chugs, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, and found that in one place one approach worked better, but on the same water, in a different location, another approach was better. I learned to mix it up, and not be afraid to make some noise with the fly. I also found that the more natural disturbance there is in the water (from current, wind, or rain) the more "noise" you have to make with the fly to get a fish's attention.

If you are primarily a pm mouser, I highly recommend a stripping basket. You're line will last much longer, and you will have far less frustration pulling your line out of tangled weeds. A DIY stripping basket tutorial is in the works. Still testing the one I put together to see if it's worth recommending.

Hook Set

Initially I said that in setting the hook you should wait till you feel the take. While you can't go wrong with this approach, over the past year I found that setting on the sound of a take sometimes produced a hookup. This leaves me to recommend that you do whatever the heck you want. Two things that I found helpful though, were waiting a moment when hearing the take before setting (in New Zealand I have heard they say "God save the Queen" before setting) and then doing a super strip set when it is time to do so. Be sure to close your eyes/wear eye protection/duck if this is your approach, and be ready to clean your line out of the bushes or hook into a monster.

I have done a lot of searching for a preferred pair of protective glasses, and gone through multiple pairs. One of the things I routinely struggled with is that most protective glasses have some degree of UV protection, which in the pitch black of night decreases the amount of light coming through to the eye. Finally I have found a pair that I really like, which do not have any UV, light reducing, coatings. They are the Head Impulse Protective Eyewear racquetball glasses. And they have a strap, which makes them easy to take them on and off, are comfortable (to me), and are only around $10.

Current Direction

This may not apply on other waters, but all those I fish have appeared sensitive to this. Knowing the down stream current direction matters in the moving waters I fish, even with slow current. I still have found it true that a fish is 95% (Abraham Lincoln said this percentage was accurate, and that the internet tells only truth) more likely to take a mouse if it is moving the direction of the current, not against it. Unless you're in Alaska, or some other place where this doesn't apply, then all bets are off. Maybe just pay attention to which direction you are bringing your fly when you get your strikes more, or if you don't seem to be getting any strikes, try approaching the water from downstream moving up.

Also, with current direction, I have found my hookup rate is much higher when I present the fly so the fish hits it from the side, in a perpendicular/T-bone direction. Often this just means I hook up more fishing from the side of the run, with a slight swing downward toward the end of the retrieve, or casting diagonally upstream or downstream, versus casting directly upstream or downstream. I think it is largely to do with how the fly goes into the fishes mouth, and what it does when the angler sets.

Hook Issues

Generally speaking the hookup rate when mousing seems to be about 20-30%. That means for every 10 takes, only 2 or 3 will stick, and even if those do, they don't always stay. I have my theory on why this is, which I'll address in a different post sometime, but with such low odds an angler wants to do everything he/she can to increase catch rates. Having a super sharp sticky hook is an obvious aspect to this, but what is less obvious is keeping that hook clear of fly tying material. A little bit of fur in the way is all it takes to prevent that sharp tip from doing it's little job of grabbing, and if it doesn't grab, there's nothing for the hook to penetrate into when we do our epic strip sets. To check this I place my fly in water long enough for it to absorb the water and move it around to check if fur is covering the hook. I then take scissors and trim the small parts that may be laying on the hook. I'm not positive this is a game changer, but I feel on some occasions it has prevented hookups before I noticed it.

In terms of which hook is more valuable in an articulated mouse fly, I feel the back hook takes the cake. AND, after extensive testing, I really feel that this back hook is best placed at the butt of the body of the fly, or just a bit (roughly half inch) behind it. Hooks in tails have not been at all effective for me, though this may just be from the wheres and how I fish. They also seem to tangle more than without.

Location location LOCATION!!!!!

The more time I spend mousing at night, the more I have come to realize that where you mouse is critical to your success. This could be general water, such as a particular river, lake, stream, or pond. It could also be where in any given body of water you are fishing. In my experience, the closer to cover you get, the better. Bushy trees that overhang the water are my favorite places to focus on, and mostly because I think fish hang out near them hoping for something to drop. The closer to the bank you can get, the better because that is where land-dwelling morsels originate. Also, foam lines/seams where things naturally are pushed in the water are an excellent place to focus on. These aspects of location are not without complications. The first location concept means that to find success, one has to explore, and risk having plenty of fishless nights. The second aspect of location is tricky because one cannot see the bank or tight spots in the dark, at least not in any great contrast so as to tell where the bank ends and water begins. The more you know your water during the day the better off you'll be at night. Timing also adds a tricky element to location. A place may not produce even a single blowup one night, but then be ridiculously productive two nights later. This could be a factor of light, hatches, water temperature, spawning times, etc. The fact of it all is that location is a critical part of mousing. The nice thing is that once your find a productive area, it tends to remain a productive area.

These aren't exactly earth-shattering tips or realizations, but some I thought worth mentioning. Good luck if you make it out to give it a try, and don't be afraid to dedicate a day (or night, though a night dedicated usually results in the following day dedicated to sleep, so same-diff right?) to it.







For other night fishing, or mousy posts, check out the Tips and Tactics section.

"Vole-Vasion": Year of the Mouse 2.0

All the ingredients are there.  It could be good.

A couple weeks ago I found myself perusing the local newspaper during a slow moment at work.  While scanning for a captivating headline I happened upon an article titled "Vole-Vasion." It was in the farm and ranch section. Words like "plaque," "mild winter," and "epidemic" were used to describe the current rise in vole population. If you are a farmer, rancher, or like having a yard less holy than a priest, this is bad news.  As I read through the article I couldn't help but think of the implications on the mousing expeditions yet to come throughout the rapidly approaching summer.  The gist of the article was that voles (and I am assuming mice fit into the same category) were already a big problem going into our previous fall season and Idaho never really got the hard freeze it is so accustomed to. The harsh cold usually kills and slows rodent populations.  The result was the already burgeoning vole population from the previous fall has exploded.  The population supposedly grows and shrinks with a regularity like a pendulum swinging back and forth.  It's a 10-12 year cycle and we happen to be on a peak.  Bad news for the green thumbs and country folk who like their lawns less pitted but such good news for an angler wanting to chuck a fly that resembles a little furry mammal.

It was with these high hopes that we hit the road about 9:30 in the pm.  It was a cloudless and dark night.  Cruising down the empty highway we spied the intermittent critter scooting across the road. "Why did the mouse cross the road?"  Who knows, but there were a ton of them!  All the mice on the road bolstered my confidence in hitting the water.  After parking we climbed out of the car to cool air and a star-filled sky.  The milky way is so stunning on moonless nights, especially when you get away from civilization.  We quickly rigged up and hit the water.  First cast, SPLOOSH!  The characteristic toilet-bowl-flush/water-exploding sound gets the adrenaline going! It was a swing and a miss, but it still instilled confidence.  The night was spent with far more misses than hits, but there were so many explosions it was a hoot.  The Artimouse worked stripped and dead drifted. These browns tore line from the reel like crazy.  One even gave me a line burn. Mousing is so addicting!

I had taken a break from fishing and social media over the past month. It was a fitting trip to resume angling. The article had it right.  It's like Mars Attacks, only with mice/voles.  The implication?  This summer could be epic.

Tips: Night Fishing - Part 2 "Mousing"

When but a wee lad I was convinced that the banjo minnow could work miracles. Truth be told, I never actually fished one, not even once. It wasn't for lack of owning them. I badgered my parents until they purchased a set. Still, they never touched a body of water, though I can't remember why. Many an hour was spent watching bass fishing shows like Bill Dance Outdoors and Fishing with Roland Martin. It was the closest a little kid could get to fishing all the time, being too young to drive. The bug was bone deep from a very young age. I ached to be on the water, it called to me, and yet I was at the mercy of those with the means of transportation. The time was not wasted though.  A thirst to understand the whys behind the hows of catching fish was growing, and an attitude of exploration resulted. When you can't be fishing in body you can certainly be thinking about it and that leads you to wonder how to better do it, where better to do it at, and the whys behind both. Trying to think like a fish results in success and turns fishing into a myriad of mysteries to solve, and repeated success makes you feel like you're slowly solving those perplexing puzzles. It's intoxicating. Like the watch-maker slowly taking apart a new watch to see how it runs, anglers can try to pull apart their experiences on the water, and trying to recreate the good times becomes a satisfying game.

There will always be fish that refuse catching by traditional means. For these fickle fins some would give the perfunctory "oh well" and move on to an easier quarry. Some assume because nothing is caught, nothing must be there. These mysterious creatures dance to the beat of a different drum. Their feeding habits are far different from the bulk of fish seen feeding throughout the day. Catching any fish of any size is a hoot, but there is something addicting about trying to get the ones that rarely get got. I am prone to think that there are more of these hard-to-catch fish in most moderate to larger sized watersheds than our angler egos would like to think exist. A river's biomass can tell you a lot about the fish you aren't seeing.

Mystery Of The Mouse

It was to be this years angling focus, my "fishing goal" if you will, to unravel this particular mystery. Mice are not often thought of as potential piscatorial morsels. Simply put, most people don't realize that fish eat mice. How could they? Why would they? Where would it even happen? (can you picture an obese brown trout waddling onto land, in the dark, a maniacal grin on its face, and sneaking up on a poor unsuspecting mouse... I smell a campy horror movie in the works. Move over Night of the Clown, it's Night of the Brown!) When would it happen? I think it's safe to say that only a small handful of people in the world have ever witnessed a mouse being eaten by a fish in the wild. Sure, there are some places where mice are stupidly abundant, but even in those places I wonder how often the actual event is witnessed. If you're still in doubt a simple internet search will reveal that it does in fact happen though. I think we would be surprised to see what is in most big fish gullets. Maybe we just need larger stomach pumps to witness the mayhem.

Mousing has slowly grown in popularity over the past few years, though its newness is like that of a new, used car. Some folks have been in the fishy mouse club for years, and the tactic has still managed to fly under the radar. Movies like Once In A Blue Moon and Eastern Rises really made a splash among anglers, and brought a greater awareness to the fish-eating-mice phenomenon. Social media has also played its part in the past couple years, to some people's chagrin.  Mousing in Alaska has become quite the craze and more is being written, photographed, and filmed about fly fishing with mice every week.

Deer in headlights look saying, "Did that really just happen?"

Tips: Night Fishing - Part 2 "Mousing"

If you are just tuning in, there are two previous posts that would be worth your time. Together they preface this post. Check out Night Fishing - Part 1 "The Basics"  and  Fly Tying the Artimouse to get up to speed.

Mousing is an addiction that may be good not to acquire; especially mousing at night.  You'll lose sleep when you should be snoozing and when at work you might find yourself slowly drifting into a hazy daydream, as the memory of that massive and loud explosion in the water returns to haunt your thoughts... if only the hook had stuck. For trout I can think of no other way of fishing that produces such violent and entertaining takes.  The still, calm of the night is ravaged by generous amounts of sound and roiling water when a fish decides to take a mouse. It's not dry fly fishing, but more like streamer fishing on the surface of the water, where you can't help but witness the gleeful carnage. Again, mousing can be remarkably addicting, though it is not without work.  So, to the curious angler I say, give it a try, but be careful, you might unknowingly be joining the midnight mousing club. 

Just do it. Fortunately, most places have mice. You don't have to plan and pay for some elaborate Alaskan adventure to stick fish on mice. There is a secret to it though; just do it. The biggest and best advice I could give on mousing is to just do it. The more your fly is in the water the more likely you will find success. It is the universal truth of angling. Most folks tie on a mouse, cast for maybe an hour and then give up and switch to one of their usual patterns. I am by no means an expert on any topic of fly fishing, but I do find success on occasion. It's not because of some great mystery, or from knowing the secret honey hole, no, I just work to understand the why, when, and hows, I don't give up after a bad day on the water, and I keep my fly in the water.

Granted, certain waters are more productive than others, but you won't ever know that unless you explore and try. What people don't see in the reports on success is all the skunks, misses, and time spent exploring. There is far more of those things than actual catching, but that is all part of the enjoyment and makes the successful moments much sweeter. So again I write, just do it. Wouldn't Nike be proud. Explore, try different flies and techniques, and have confidence. One good experience will carry you to the next. As for mousing, if you don't enjoy the process of fishing as much as you enjoy the catching, it may not be the technique for you. There's a good chance you won't catch anything with a mouse for the first couple trips, then again, we all get lucky here and there.

Learn to think like a fish. Fish have an inborn knack for weighing pros and cons. It's a cost vs benefit kind of conundrum that determines their survivability.  Not all fish will eat mice, and not all of the fish that will eat mice are willing to do it during the day. It appears to be a learned behavior, somewhat like an acquired flavor for a human is learned (moldy cheeses and dark chocolate aren't for everyone). Fish are constantly weighing the benefits against the costs for eating any given thing. 

Is the cost of chomping (or tasting) that floating animal worth the benefit the trout will get from it?  If a fish thought as humans do, it might ask itself some of the following questions before feeding on a mouse: What are the chances I will get snatched or injured by a predator if I move from my cover? Will that little animal attack back? How far and fast do I have to swim, and do I have the energy to do so? Can I actually get that thing in my mouth? (I doubt fish try to eat otters and beavers, though sometimes their eyes are bigger than their stomachs) Does that thing even look like food, or is it a stick or moss? Should I taste it anyway? Am I even hungry? I think you get the idea. There are a lot of concerns to mull over and fish seem to have a natural ability to analyze various scenarios, and sometimes all this goes on in a matter of seconds, depending on the speed of the current. Their ability to discern seems to improve with age.  Ever notice how the littler fish are easier to catch? Understanding the cost/benefit concept can improve our angling considerably.

Learn what mice look like in the water. I already described it in the "Artimouse" post.

The darkness of night is a game-changer. It lessens a fish's first and probably largest concern; predators. Fish live in a world of eating and being eaten. For us it would be like living in a world with different grades of zombie. Some are more likely to eat you than others (if you don't get what I mean, forgive the nerdness). I know I am far more likely to make a trip to the grocery store when I'm not worried some random stranger is going to run up to me and chow down. I think I like my skin a bit too much for that. With a lessened fear of predators, fish are more accessible because they leave their protective lies (where they remain hidden from most human eyes, and most lures/flies) to "put on a feed-bag" as my dad would say. Fish want their food big and easy, but in the opposite order.

The Habitat. Understand ideal mouse habitat, but don't restrict yourself to those places. If there are mice, voles, or rats, then they can certainly end up in the water.  Mice do not appear to be afraid of water. They are pretty proficient swimmers for their little size.  We do not know all the reasons exactly why mice get into the water. Some say they are in search of food and have poor judgement for what is passable versus impassable waters. Others say that mice accidentally fall in.  I am prone to think that it is a mixed bag of reasons. I'm also of the opinion that mice are sometimes scared into the water by predators, or dropped by them in the struggle for survival when being carried through the air. All the more reason to SLAP that fly down!

A fish that is in ambush mode, wherever they may be, will take something that looks tasty and high in protein, but I also think that the odds of getting a take increase when focusing in areas that mice are more likely to either fall into the river, or be pushed to by the current, after getting in the water.  Looking for this kind of water is less of an issue at night for a couple of reasons: first, mice are nocturnal. This means that they are much more active at night, and thus more likely to fall into or get into the river when the lights are out.  They are like fish and have much less fear of predators in the dark... silly mouses, you should know better. Secondly, because larger fish are more confident and active at night, they leave their protective lies in search of feeding lies.  This is generally slowing pocket water along the banks of the river where larger prey can become available and be observed before a fish actually eats. For more on ambush water and differing lies, refer back to Part 1 "The Basics". Even in the dark of night, it isn't a bad idea to fish close to cover, like log jams, undercut banks, and slower moving water that is next to deep fast moving water.

 

Cover a lot of water, and don't be afraid to cover it again. When fishing mice we are looking for the willing few, not the eager masses. As mentioned earlier, not all fish will eat a mouse, but those who will don't usually wait around. It is quite common for takes on a mouse to occur shortly after the fly hits the water, and the takes are usually explosive.  In most cases it isn't necessary to make more than one or two casts in a given spot.  This means covering a lot of water to find the ones ready to play.  In lakes or lake-like sections of river repetitive casting can be productive because fish are moving around looking for things to ambush, but in most moving waters the fish sits in a certain zone waiting for something to float along and ring the dinner bell.  Often if I get a blowup in a certain spot I will rest the spot and come back to it.  Most fish that blowup on a mouse are unlikely to do so again right after the first burst of bravado. Make a mental note to hit it again on the way out and move on.

Leave the boat where possible, it can be easier to "foot" the bill. Boats are fantastic and give us access to many otherwise inaccessible waters.  They do make mousing difficult though, mostly on longer floats. Mousing requires the slow, methodical finesse of an angler combing the water.  In short, mousing from a boat in most cases causes us to fish the mouse too fast. When using a boat for mousing it requires the rower to have a lot more speed regulation, which results in a much slower float and tired rowing arms. Also, when retrieving the mouse from a boat it is generally difficult to keep your fly right up against the bank.  If you can compensate for these two issues a boat is an excellent help to cover a lot of water, just remember to take it slow.

Resist the urge to set, you gotta feeeeel it. I think this is one of the hardest parts about fishing a mouse, because the takes are so wild.  When the water explodes, the last thing you want to do is keep calmly stripping, but that is the best thing you can do.  It's not even a bad idea to stop stripping or slow down altogether if you don't feel anything, because it gives the fish a moment to find the mouse it was trying to drown.  If there is tension, by all means go all Bill Dance and strip-set on that troutface, but if you don't feel it, chances are you are going to violently fling the mouse right out of the zone, and maybe even spook the fish (flying mice would freak me out too... oh... wait... bats, nevermind).  This one rule has doubled my hookups, and when mousing, increased hookups is a big deal.

Understand you won't always catch fish, but the one you get probably won't be all that bad.  You need to have the right attitude.  Mousing simply to catch fish with a mouse pattern will leave you without disappointment. If you are mousing for a monster you might find a long wait, though admittedly your chances in size increase. If you sign on for the game, just realize that there may be far more fishing than catching.

Rod, line, and leader matter. As most guys who have thrown larger streamers know, you go big, you get wind-resistance. When flinging a hypodermic needle-like bit of fur and foam to and fro through the air, when it is dark and you can't see, it is a good idea to use a rod that will give you the most line control possible.  For this reason, I use an 8wt, fast action fly rod.  Some may say overkill, but there have been times I was grateful for it. Also, my arms aren't too tired from fighting the line and fly while casting.  When mousing, a floating line is the clear choice, for obvious reasons. I fish a short leader of my own making, that is roughly 6' in length. I use roughly 2' of 30lb mono, attached with a blood knot to about the same length of 20lb mono, and then attach that to about the same length of 15lb Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon for my tippet. The reason I go with the shorter leader is it allows me more control over the movement of the fly. When mousing, movement is often the name of the game.

The best retrieve is a slooooooow, natural retrieve. While mice are remarkable swimmers for their size, they are still at the mercy of current.  It would be worthwhile to look up some videos on youtube to get an idea of just how fast they can swim in still water.  No matter how slow the current, unless it is stillwater, a mouse cannot swim against it and make progress. This means that in most cases the retrieve needs to be bringing the fly perpendicular to the current, while still moving slowly downstream, or swimming down with the current. There have been exceptions to this.  In faster water I have found success swinging the fly and when it hits that bottom of the swing and starts pushing water, the take happens, but I have only experienced this in a couple different places, and they may be trying to take it as some waking insect (like a caddis).  This seems to be the preferred approach in Alaska, however, it just doesn't seem to be the most effective approach in the waters I have tried around this corner of Idaho so far. One other thing that I have found effective on occasion is popping the fly, just like a popper.  This seems to work sometimes in places that have a lot of frogs, and is another tool to put in the box.

When fishing the fly downward with the current, I usually try not to pull the mouse downstream faster than the current, but just give enough twitch to the fly to look alive, all the while picking up the line that the current brings to me. For fishing a perpendicular approach you actually move the fly, but as I mentioned before, take it slow.  When I first started fishing mice I thought the best way to give the fly movement was to wiggle the rod tip back and forth, while slowly stripping at a constant rate.  It worked, but I missed a lot of fish because I couldn't feel what was going on at the other end very well.  The wiggling back and forth produces a lot of slack in the line, which can also adversely affect the hookset. Rather, I have come to prefer minute pulsating/repetitive twitches, accompanied by a slow constant line retrieve.  This has allowed me to FEEL when the fish actually connects with the fly, rather than hearing/seeing a splash and setting the hook with a wish and prayer. Also, the more line you have out, the less effective the wiggling rod tip would be, because the line is still straight in the water and only being tugged, just as if you were twitching it.  Sometimes I still wiggle when I'm fishing a hole so close where all that has to be touching the water is my fly, but you have to be careful to not make it so dramatic that it looks unnatural. 

Be sneaky-ish. While fish are a million times more confident at night, they still seek self preservation, and if anything seems out of the ordinary they will bolt.  The biggest thing to avoid is shining your light into the water, especially white light.  Be brave and let your eyes adjust to the soft light mother nature provides at night.  The less you use the light, the better, and when using it, do so away from the water and use the red light if possible. Also, though less of an issue, strange sounds can spook fish. Try not to talk with your buddy very loud and tread lightly.  No ninja status necessary, just don't strut around like an elephant. The more you know the water you are fishing in the light of day, the easier this is.

The weapons (flies) of choice. There are three patterns I would recommend, though I am partial to one. One of the first patterns to gain popularity in the world of mousing is the Morrish Mouse, and it has proven highly effective. The MM really shines when you are looking for a fly to move water.  The foam back allows for unlimited floatation without a drop of floatant, while the stiff-haired body pushes a lot of water.  It is one of the go-to flies used for swinging mice in Alaska. The second fly, and the one I would choose over the Morrish, is the Mr. Hankey. This was another that was developed specifically for Alaska.  It's big advantages are found in the soft-haired body, that allows some inherent movement, and the trailing stinger hook.  It also has some legs tied in, that can add a bit more life to the whole deception. The hook is designed to ride point up, which can ideally make it easier to cast to cover and not get snagged. Lastly, and my preferred pattern, is the Artimouse. This is a simple articulated pattern with a foam head and rabbit stripped body.  It has proven quite effective, in fact, all of the fish seen on this post were taken on the Artimouse.  All three are great flies. I wouldn't bother with the full deer hair patterns because they lack inherent movement and require floatant.  Even with the floatant they sometimes sink.  They are too much hassle in my opinion, though they do look cool and can be effective in catching anglers.

Morrish Mouse

Mr. Hankey

Artimouse

Mousing isn't just a night game. Unless you are talking about a remote river in Alaska, or somewhere in Russia, most people tend to think mousing as a nocturnal foray. Contrary to popular belief, it can be quite productive during the day. The trick is to cover a lot of water, but to do so slooooowly and methodically. Identify places where mice can fall into the river, and places they would we swept into by the current. Because fish are less likely to leave their protective lies in the light of day, you have to ring the dinner bell pretty loud by knocking on the front door.  What I mean is you have to put the mouse right off the bank or log, practically touching it, and lay it down hard when you do.  The splash will get some attention.  Then make that little morsel look as lifelike as possible, and swimming downstream right next to the bank(or log) to make it look like it's searching for a way back out. One big advantage of mousing in the light of day, is you get a good feel for what your fly is doing in the water, how fast to fish it and in what ways to move your rod. Much of what I have learned in mousing has started in the light of day and been honed in the darkness of night. Another daytime advantage is that the takes are in full sight and can be quite memorable.

I know this post was a bit thick with random info.  Hopefully some of it was helpful. Mousing is a blast, and I look forward to doing it more and more.  Good luck if you make it out and be sure to share your spoils pictorially so we can all enjoy with you.

If you haven't been bored to tears already, here are some other articles that I would recommend.

http://www.bestofnzflyfishing.com/articles/mouseeatingtrout.html
http://www.fontinalisrising.com/2014/01/mousing-101-mouse-theory.html
http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/fly-fishing-tips-technique/you-can-mouse-just-about-anywhere/
http://troutster.com/mouse-patterns-and-streamers-for-night-fishing-trout/
http://www.fontinalisrising.com/2013/12/mousing-101-mouse-do-it.html
http://www.fontinalisrising.com/2014/02/mousing-101-mouse-gear.html
http://www.hawkinsflyfishing.com/mousing_for_trout.php
http://www.deneki.com/2014/03/retrieving-the-mouse-fly/


The following is a collection of miscellaneous mousing videos for your viewing pleasure. I pulled out the best I could find over the past couple years. Filming at night is definitely a hard thing to do, so most of what you see in video is from the day.  If you have any great vids to add to the list, share it in the comments.

https://youtu.be/G75Y4FCzJDw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfYqDOlj7AQ

http://vimeo.com/106022738

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09HBi3eID6o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAbOfa43vxshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAbOfa43vxs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGF_HIpul2M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvRO8GwvdJ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yignZc2JtoE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FoY2S6cFi8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=jYa4JVOmSWo

https://vimeo.com/36578282

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVUn_OnzIJo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwcGoGiiY04

https://vimeo.com/100674575

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsWHUDzBKEw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMw2MI8qxTY

Fly Tying: The Arti-mouse

Why make a new mouse pattern when there are some very effective and proven patterns already? Good question.  Aside from my usual desire to tinker and urge to personalize my piscatorial pursuits, I began noticing a couple things as I studied in-water mouse behavior.

The Movement
Once a mouse falls or climbs into the water they do not stop swimming.  The motion is pretty constant and yet it has a very erratic look.  Here is a short video that shows the quick motion of the torso, which results in a "swimming tail" look. The tail wiggles back and forth as a result of the kicking legs.

The Legs
When mice swim, their hind legs serve as the motor.  A mouse's hind legs are far more powerful than their front legs, and they rely heavily on them when in the water.  The hind legs extend past the mouse's rear while swimming. One shoots out, then the other in rapid succession.

There are some excellent mouse patterns out there, a couple of which I think are prime for certain circumstances, but I'll get more into that in my night fishing/mousing tactics post later.  Most patterns are either cut from rigid deer hair (no inherent movement), lack legs, are restricted to one hook, or lack the ability for the tail to "swim".  As I did research, trying to make this the #yearofthemouse I came to realize with some tweaks I could develop a pattern that better fit my needs.  Enter the ArtiMouse.

The ArtiMouse is so named because of the added articulation. I initially thought about calling it the Artimus (mus being Latin for mouse, and it made me think of Maximus from Gladiator), but thought the simpler title might be more accessible. It is a super simple tie with only a few ingredients. I think the key differences with the Arti-Mouse from the patterns considered to be staple mouse flies are the angle and buoyancy of the head, the added legs and way they are tied in, the little bit longer tail, and lastly the articulating torso.

How To Tie The ArtiMouse

UPDATE 8/23/14 : I have been working with a new stinger hook version and have decided that I like it much much more, though it is just a bit more involved to tie. I produced a second video to show the modification.

Ingredients:
Hooks: 4x Streamer hook Size 2, and Size 2 Gamakatsu Octopus hook

Head: Six 2mm foam sheets (or whatever the heck the thickness of that cheap craft foam is) layered and glued together with spray adhesive. Cut into 1"x3/4" pieces for individual heads. A round, pointed popper head of similar size would work as well, just as long as it was attached at a 30ish degree angle to the hook.

Body: Rabbit strip (whatever color you prefer and think matches your local field mice... brown, gray, white, tan, black, etc...)

Legs: Medium Round Rubber Legs - 4 strands furled together - (tan, pink, white, black, or brown)

Tail: Rabbit strip, or Chamois towel (gives much more movement, but can tangle around the hook a bit more). If you want it short, tie it short, but I prefer mine to be at least 4".

Optional Glow: A small glow in the dark corkie can be cut into halves and one half can be glued to the nose of the fly.  I say the "nose" because of the angle the fly sits in the water.  I suggest placing the fly in the water, attached to some line and pull the fly slowly so you see where it needs to rest. The idea is so the fish can't see it so well, but you can when retrieving it. If you place it on the top of the head it will disappear from your view when you retrieve it (learned that one the hard way).  Glow in the dark flashabou can work as well. 



Fly Tying The Artimouse Mouse Fly from Chris Cutler on Vimeo.



Fly Tying the Artimouse with a Stinger Modification from Chris Cutler on Vimeo.



 


The reasoning behind the design...

The Head: I chose foam because of it's ease. No need for fly floatant and no drowning fly. Popper heads would have worked great I'm sure, but for the money and ease of access the craft foam sheets were a good choice. I have also heard of people using or buying cheap/old flip flops to make popper heads.  (9/10/2017 Edit: For the past three years I have come to solely use cheap flip flops. They are cheap, require no gluing, and make the whole process much simpler.) Craft stores often have cheap pairs for 1$ each, something to consider. The reason for the angled attachment to the hook is that mice create a V-shaped wake from their pointy head sticking up out of the water.  The angled foam head mimics this wake.

The Body: I prefer rabbit fur because of it's inherent motion.  It requires very little movement to actually look like it is moving. Also, in water it flares out and creates a bulky profile. This is also an advantage when casting because it becomes narrow and slicked down when out of the water.  The one drawback is that in very fast water it gets narrow also, but even then I have had success swinging the fly.

The Legs: Most patterns have legs in odd areas, or no legs at all.  I placed the legs on the tail section, so they can "swim" with the torso and tail. They also add to the profile when dead drifting the pattern. In the initial tying video I mentioned that to furl them they are twisted in opposite directions.  That was incorrect (oops, my bad, sorry). Both sets of two are twisted in the same direction.  If you were having trouble trying to furl the legs, that may be why. (If you don't want to bother with furling, simply using a rubber band will work as well.)

The Tail: Rabbit strips with most of the hair trimmed off rarely wrap back on the fly itself and allow for a decent amount of movement. I tend to tie my tails a bit longer than most. I know that most mice have pretty short tails, but I feel the movement created by the added length adds to the fly's appeal. Strips of Chamois towel give a lot more movement, but can be more of a hassle because it can tangle back on the hook. (9/10/2017 Edit: I now tie my tails a bit shorter, usually about 3-4".)

Misc: When in the water mice swim like most animals, with their head out of the water for breathing and body mostly submerged. This is why I only wanted the head to float, to mimic that angled orientation in the water. It think it also gives a more realistic side-view of the fly.

I put together a short video to show how the Arti-Mouse looks in action in the water.  It was a little tricky filming and casting at the same time, but I think it helps show at least a bit of the motion it has in the water.  Wish I could say "fish included"... maybe next time.


The following are a couple pictures (borrowed for educational purposes) that help to see some of what I'm talking about.

So far this pattern has proven effective.  It is the result of quite a bit of testing and a handful of prototypes. I may make some variations or changes eventually, but so far this has done the trick. Give it a try and let me know if you have any luck!

If you are interested in the pattern, but don't want to tie any up yourself, they can be purchased.  Just send me an e-mail or a message on one of my other social media outlets for details. Thanks.

More details on how I fish it can be found in this post: "Mousing"