Well Mush my Mouth

[HarrisonD]

I always like when a person on the boat brings out a new fly to try and it works. Bernie broke out a mush mouth. Although I had heard of the fly I had never seen one. Purple/White with purple flashabou and a very simple fly. The water temp is rising and was 60 to 62 degrees. The current was very slow all day. Fishing was all so slow with action spotty. We worked Smith Island inshore. We were fishing 2 to 4 ft of dirty water. Dark colors seem to work better. That is when the mush mouth came out and was successful. Slow retrieve with sink tip lines is a challange in areas like this because of the number of stumps. Those stump fish sure put up a fight, but taking the good with the bad is worth it.

[OneMoreCast]

Great fly from Dave Skok!!!
That will catch tuna/mahi.... and inshore species too.
A little tip for durability Capt Dan... try using the SteveF Blend of slinky fiber and angel hair to make the fly a little tougher. Still has all the movement and flash but the slinky/kinky fiber makes the fly last forever!!!
tight lines bud.. glad you guys are getting a few.

[HarrisonD]

thanks OMC. I cannot take credit for tying the fly. I believe it may have been tied by the operator. It is just getting started here. I look for it to get alot better. I did get a great picture of it however, I am to dumb to figure out how to post it.:))

[flies only]

those mushies are one of my favorite go to flies. indestructible and quick to tie. they even catch fish too:yes:

[HarrisonD]

OMC, I have both materials. If my memory serves me right the material was tied full length then folded back and tied back about a 1/16th of an inch forming a head. I have slinky/kinky material. May be fun to tie some. I do have an off sure trip to give them a shot.

[OneMoreCast]

Don't forget the spine of ez body Dan. That helps to prevent fouling.
Softex is applied liberally to the ez body first. Then the head area once the material is tied in.

[Shortylong01]

The Mushmouth is a terrific fly. The best part of it is that it can be made small to super large..and in many colors... I took a day tying lesson with Dave Skok in Rhode island... I highly recommend this is anyone gets a chance... Dave is a great guy and a very patient and gifted fly tier.

dwskok.com - Step-by-Step Fly Tying Instruction by Dave Skok (http://www.dwskok.com/step-by-steps.htm)

[HarrisonD]

Ok, now you've done it. Tonight it is mush mouth time. I'll put a few different colors together and see what they do. I did really like the way it looked and the action in the water. Thanks for the tips.

[jablair]

Agree. That fly is awesome. I caught 5 huge stripers on it at CBBT back in January. One was 47". Dave put a pic of it on his site (Megamushy). The Steve Farrar blend just glows in the water. Even the more natural colors have a glow in the water.

To get started, I ended up ordering a few of the mushmouth varieties off SaltwaterFlies.com then learning to tie that way. The megamushy is way more sparse than what it looks like in the pics. It still has a broad profile but the material isn't near as thick as it seems just from looking at the pics. Having the actual fly helps a bunch with tying a large pattern that was still easy to cast. The bigger flies are pushing a foot long and cast easily on a 10 wt.

If you use the Farrar blends, try to go somewhere to actually see the choices. All are great but it is best to see them to pick out what you want. Chris Windram at SaltwaterFlies.com helped me over the phone then I saw them at a show. It is also fun to blend different colors on your own. A ridiculous black over purple pattern is "midnight blitz" over "violet night".

Dave also uses the big eyes. I think 1/2" on a 6/0 hook. They seem huge at first compared to a deceiver but you get used to the look.

The softex really helps to give the fly a good shape too.

The Tiemco 600SP hooks seem like overkill but are very much worth the price in my view. The day that I caught the big fish at CBBT, all were hooked right in the corner of the mouth and every hook had to be removed with pliers. The tippet never even got nicked. The beefy hook also seems to help the fly track upright in the water.


Tightest Lines,
Jeff

[HarrisonD]

Thanks Jeff. Are those flies tied in the US or foreign? It does make a difference in what I have seen. I tie all my flies however, some of my customers bring their own and there is a difference in US and foreign tied.

[jablair]

My understanding is that the megamushies sold on SaltwaterFlies.Com are actually tied by Dave Skok. They sell them for $13 each so I would hope they are the real deal. I believe the standard mushmouths that are sold on the site are more mass produced (Umpqua)which to me means they have a high chance of being tied overseas. Below is some info. pasted off of the links on the Saltwaterflies.com site. I actually purchased the Megabunker pattern in olive/bonze/white which is a variation of a mushmouth. I also purchased the standard mushmouth. The purchased patterns were just used as go bys. From there, I ended up buying lots of materials and tieng most of the Skok patterns as I am a bit obsessive. This all happened over about a month and a half late last year when I was gearing up for a couple of trips to CBBT in Dec and Jan. My wife kept asking, after I would emerge from the basement, "what the heck are you doing down there all this time". I also purchased one of the large boat flyboxes too and am very glad I did. The big flies fit well and do not get all deformed when you take them on the boat.

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Info below from the website:
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Dave Skok's Bunker - SaltwaterFlies.com (http://www.saltwaterflies.com/skoksbunker.html)

Skok's Bunker patterns are tied on Tiemco's 600SP #6/0 hook, and these flies measure approximately 9 1/2 inches (25 cm) long. Tied by professional fly tier and tournament winning angler Dave Skok.




Mushmouth - SaltwaterFlies.com (http://www.saltwaterflies.com/mushmouth.html)

Skok's Mushmouth is a killer pattern tied with bright, reflective materials to attract the attention of a wide variety of gamefish. This is a must-have pattern for Skipjack Tuna! The Mushmouth is tied on an Owner Aki hook in size 2/0, and is approximately 3 1/2 inches long. Fly design by Dave Skok, tied by Umpqua Feather Merchants.
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Have Fun,
Jeff

[toddkfly]

Super flies and very easy to tie. I have been tying his white bait mushy for the albies at Harker's and the fly rocks. I have been using them for some of the small blues around right now as well. Even experimented with a Petijean head on one and the fly wiggles like a rapala.

Todd

[HarrisonD]

Last fall Walt Knapp and I got caught short, that is fly size wise, when our day was done and headed home and ran across a school of hugh stripers just off the shore on the west side of Smith Island. We tried to compete with the menhaden that the stripers were feeding on however, our flies were not big enough and no takers. That will not happen to me again. I usually have spin rods with big bassassassins (7") which will work but didn't have them or the flies. No takers, we were both caught short. I will had the big Mushers to my box.

[Shortylong01]

wise man to add the mush to your box... even wiser to call me when you get those big fellas west of Smith Island.... (sort of joking)

[TimeFlies]

What are the most common colors for the bay? Sounds like a fly that I should be giving a try. Thanks for the tips.

[HarrisonD]

I can tell you what clouser colors work, buck tail deceivers, gonzos and a few others. I saw the mush blue/white and purple/white at work aboard my boat Saturday a week ago. They worked. I am sure the chartruese/white, red/white, olive drab, yellow and a few other we work. Stripers when feeding will just about go with anything. When flood tied hits they sink a little further and then you have a challange. Use slow retrieves to get the fly down and use the ole attage, if the water is dark use dark colors, if clear bright colors. I think this will keep you in the hunt. If I knew how to post a picture I would post one of a nice fish with a purple and white mush in his mouth.

[HarrisonD]

Ok Mike, let me see, my fishing trips cost WHAT!:clap:

[Shortylong01]

ouch....this is gonna hurt SO GOOD !!!

[HarrisonD]

Mike, there is a great article on Smith Island fishing in this month issue of Sport Fishing Magazine featuring yours truely. The price may go up:clapping2:

[Shortylong01]

ouch sir....may I have another?

[Capt Dan]

Shorty, how far away do you live from Crisfield? There may be something in this for you so please respond....

[Shortylong01]

I live in Delaware, but keep my boat docked at Gootees....

[Capt Dan]

Now I remember you from the Delaware Fly club! Drop me a note at CaptDanH1@verizon.net