The pattern notebook · emerger
Mole Fly
How do you tie a Mole Fly?
Mole Fly is a emerger fly pattern for trout. Find its 4 materials and 21 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5
- Target species
- trout
- Pattern designer
- Charlie Craven
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Hook: Curved-shank emerger hook (Dai-Riki 125) #16-20
- Thread: 6/0, olive
- Wing: Natural dun CDC puff
- Body (shuck): Beaver dubbing, brown
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Tying instructions
Secure the hook in the vise.
Mash the barb.
Start thread behind the hook eye and take wraps to secure it to the shank.
Break or snip the tag end off.
End with your thread about an eye-length behind the eye.
Measure the CDC puff to form a wing a full hook in length.
Bind it to the top of the hook shank with two wraps.
Adjust the wing to the proper length if needed.
Take thread wraps to further secure the butts to the top of the hook shank.
Trim the butts off at an angle.
Continue taking thread wraps to about the barb.
Take a small pinch of brown beaver dubbing.
Pull out as many of the longer, stiffer guard hairs as you can, to leave only the fine underfur.
Create a short, thin dubbing noodle on your tying thread.
Wrap bare thread well down the hook bend.
Begin to form the shuck with the dubbing noodle, tapering it if possible.
When you reach the base of the wing, you should be just about out of dubbing.
Pull the wing back to expose the hook eye and take a few thread wraps behind the eye to secure it.
Whip finish, holding the wing and the thread back with your left hand.
After four or five turns, pull the knot tight and carefully cut or snip your tying thread free.
With your fingertips, preen the CDC forward to the correct orientation, allowing the fibers to fan out a bit.