Tips on mousing?

[wt bash]

I was wondering if any of you guys and gals could give me some advice on how to go about this. What type of water should I focus on riffles, flats, tailouts, frog water? Strip or swing? I have a section of deeper froggy water in mind that is loaded with timber and screams big fish, those familiar with the Clearfork here in Ohio might have an idea where I'm talking about. Its super sketchy thinking about wading but it just looks fishy.

[Diver Dan]

I saw a video where they fished mouse patterns for big trout in Kamchatka. I guess the bulk of the big fish diet is mice there. They retrieved it in a short twitchy "fleeing" manner. They were doing it mainly close to banks if I remember right. I would think skating them would work to. I'll try and find the video and post it.

I got thinking, it may have been on the video 'Eastern Rises' in which case I won't be able to post it. Cracking out the video now to double check.

[wt bash]

I haven't seen the vid from Kamchatka but I've seen a few from AK and another great one is Once in a Blue Moon.

[Diver Dan]

Found it. It's 15 minutes into 'Eastern Rises'. They do a twitchy fleeing skate. As it's skating they just give it little rapid twitches like it's attempting to get away. No real retrieve in the motion. They cut one trout open and it had 5 mice and a baby duck head in it.

(I still don't miss the Spey Pages, you?)

[wt bash]

They do the same in Once in a Blue Moon, I haven't seen the entire movie but from what I can see in the utube clip it looks as if they come across a beastly brown that gorged itself to death LOADED with mice. As far as speypages go theres too many egos over there, way too much head butting for me. I still take a peak at the hooks feathers and floss from time to time.

[Diver Dan]

Originally Posted by wt bash

I still take a peak at the hooks feathers and floss from time to time.

That's all I do.

[caseywise]

although, i have never fished a mouse fly for any fish other than bass, i have heard of monster rainbows attacking them in the bristol bay region up in alaska. i assume the flies were worked slowly in eddies, and or slack water, close to shore.
the other mousing technique that i have tried, is for large mouth bass. cast it parallel to the shore and slow twitch retrieve it. caught a fair number with this method and would guess that this would work for pike as well


casey

[wovenstonefly]

I have caught a few trout on mice but most of mine have came from lakes. The fall has always been best for me. I get in my pontoon boat and cast to the bank. I use short popping strips. The real trick is to not set when you see the fish take. You need to keep striping until you feel the fish, otherwise you'll pull the fly away. It's one of the funnest things I have done

[mcnerney]

There are a number of Alaska mousing videos on YouTube, here are a few examples:

mousing for trout...AK style! - YouTube

mousing for trout...AK style! - YouTube

Alaska Rainbow Trout: Fly Fishing With Mouse Patterns - YouTube

Alaska Rainbow Trout: Fly Fishing With Mouse Patterns - YouTube

Mouse for large trout! 2 - YouTube

Mouse for large trout! 2 - YouTube

Ed McCoy Mouse Fishing on the Manistee River - YouTube

Ed McCoy Mouse Fishing on the Manistee River - YouTube

Larry

[Jimmie]

I haven't fished mouse patterns so this is second hand from a smallie guide that gave a presentation at our club meeting. He bounces his mice off large rocks; tree stumps; like they just fell in the water. He said another good one is to drag it across foam patches.