Morrish Mouse

The Morrish Mouse was originally developed by Ken Morrish as a top-water pattern designed to imitate a swimming mouse on the surface. The fly has earned a strong reputation among anglers targeting large, opportunistic predators, and its straightforward construction has made it a popular foundation for variation. In this video, Steve Silverio presents a tube-fly interpretation of the pattern, adapting the original concept to a tube format.

The tube version builds on a Pro Flexitube Clear foundation, which supports the overall structure while keeping the fly fishable at the surface. A brown rabbit strip serves double duty, forming both the tail and the body hackle and providing the undulating action that sells the illusion of a struggling mouse. The foam body is constructed in two colors — black on top and pink on bottom — a combination that gives the fly a realistic silhouette when viewed from below while maintaining visibility from above. A Coq De Leon rooster hackle at the throat adds movement and a touch of refinement, and the head is finished with a small pink Pro Conehead accented with red paint and UV resin applied over the foam top to lock the profile in place.

Mouse patterns like the Morrish Mouse are most effective when targeting large, aggressive predators — big trout, pike, and other species that key in on surface disturbance and large prey. Presented on or near the surface with a swimming or struggling action, the fly can draw explosive strikes from fish that might ignore more conventional offerings. The tube construction offers flexibility in rigging and hook placement, an advantage when pursuing hard-fighting species across a range of conditions.

Tying materials
Tube: Pro Flexitube Clear
Thread: White
Tail: Brown Rabbit strip
Body: Black Foam on top, Pink on bottom
Body hackle: Brown Rabbit strip
Throat: Coq De Leon rooster hackle
Head: Pro Conehead – Small, Pink; red paint and UV resin on foam top