# Mousing



## Shoeman

Rasputin said:


> By the way, unless I am mistaken, I am the owner of your old Hyde. Let me know if you ever want to take a ride in it. Maybe you can teach me how to catch fish out of it!


No Way! Man that boat would catch fish and row like a dream, even loaded down!


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## Rasputin

I'm going to have a new bottom put on it in the next few weeks, seems to have a small leak. It does go down the river nice, I just don't really know how to fish out of a boat, always been a wade guy. I'll get there.


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## Shoeman

Where do you generally fish?


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## 6Speed

Shoeman said:


> No Way! Man that boat would catch fish and row like a dream, even loaded down!


Wow! Old memories there Shoeman...


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## kzoofisher

Steve said:


> That mouse imitation looks really interesting. I wonder if the recipe is posted somewhere.


Smitty's/Uncle Jake's in Battle Creek carries the cutters for making bomber flies, I imagine other shops do too. Here's an online source.

https://www.caddisflyshop.com/stealth-bomber-popper-diver-foam-body-cutter.html

And step by step instructions. Looks simple!
https://littleriveroutfitters.com/littleriverjournal/storiesjuly09/stealth/bomber.htm


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## thewoodenshoe

Pretty late on this one but for future reference- please use heavier leads at nighttime especially in the late summer months. If you’re playing a fish out on 6lb in August, you’re killing more fish than you’re not. For reference, this was taken on 15lb maxima. I think I could tow my boat with 15lb maxima. You could tie your mouse to your fly line- the one you’re lookin for doesn’t care. That goes for hex fishin too, 1x to 0x on nights without a full moon and you’ll be just fine, and will be helping out the fish in the process.


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## kzoofisher

My standard mousing leader is a used hex leader that got a little too short, so 0x at most. I do that because 6' is plenty of leader for mousing and I'm cheap.


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## Fishndude

It's more fun to fight fish with heavier gear, too. Real slugfest.


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## nimrod4

PunyTrout said:


> I recall someone posting a picture of a Brook trout they caught on a mouse. Or maybe I'm thinking of a frog that was in its stomach
> 
> Anyway I'd like to give bonus points for anyone who can post a picture of a mouse-caught Brookie.


 By far my favorite preferred method for catching big northern Ontario brook trout.


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## ESOX

PunyTrout said:


> I recall someone posting a picture of a Brook trout they caught on a mouse. Or maybe I'm thinking of a frog that was in its stomach
> 
> Anyway I'd like to give bonus points for anyone who can post a picture of a mouse-caught Brookie.


We used to catch huge brookies in the Nippigon River ( a N shore of Superior watershed) on mice. That was back in the late 70's & 80's before digital cameras, cell phones etc. Had some I know darn well went 6#. Average was 3-4#. Went there about 10 years ago, it was depressing. The hand print of man was all over the lower river. "Progress" is a matter of perspective.


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## PunyTrout

Last harrah for Brookies.


Giving the little streams a last chance before they close , caught 6 and kept 3 for dinner. The water is low and crystal clear ...the best part is nobody is around , very quite up here this time of year. :):):)




www.michigan-sportsman.com


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## Fishndude

Shrewin?


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## PunyTrout

Fishndude said:


> Shrewin?



_Ro(a)d ent trippin'_


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## Ricky Bubbles

Does it make sense to mouse all year round? I thought it was a warmer weather thing.


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## kzoofisher

When it's cold the fish aren't looking for mice and frogs to be in the water. And their metabolism is lower so they're not out on the prowl at night and/or don't have the energy to chase a meal down in the dark. Water in the 60s and air warmer than that is the best mousing. Could it work in the cold? Sure. Is it worth the effort? Not IMO and I have tried it.

The only exception I'd make to that is rivers with both poor insect production and poor natural reproduction where the big fish _have_ to take advantage of surface meat. Those streams might be worth a shot but of course they don't have a ton of fish in them to begin with. Right now there are so many bugs hatching that big fish can get their fill of them plus plenty of one year old brooks, browns and steelhead smolts to round out a feast.


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## Ricky Bubbles

kzoofisher said:


> When it's cold the fish aren't looking for mice and frogs to be in the water. And their metabolism is lower so they're not out on the prowl at night and/or don't have the energy to chase a meal down in the dark. Water in the 60s and air warmer than that is the best mousing. Could it work in the cold? Sure. Is it worth the effort? Not IMO and I have tried it.
> 
> The only exception I'd make to that is rivers with both poor insect production and poor natural reproduction where the big fish _have_ to take advantage of surface meat. Those streams might be worth a shot but of course they don't have a ton of fish in them to begin with. Right now there are so many bugs hatching that big fish can get their fill of them plus plenty of one year old brooks, browns and steelhead smolts to round out a feast.


That makes sense. Thanks for the info.


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## NWMichiganOutdoors

Stuck my first mouse fish of the year tonight in a small local stream. No net and fumbled it before I could snap a pic but was around the 18” caliber. Respectable for skinny water. Here’s a pic of what it took










Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## TroutFishingBear

Similar tactics work if the creek or river has a lot of frogs?


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## kzoofisher

Yes and if the stream doesn't have good bug hatches it will turn on to mousing earlier. The ones famous for silver fish and not famous for dry fly fishing are probably rocking with all the meat in the water from newly hatched fry.


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## NWMichiganOutdoors

I think on some rivers the majority of the time the fish think they are frogs, instead of mice. That’s just my opinion though, who knows


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