Franken Mouse

Since my 1st trip to Mongolia in 2008, caught a Mongolian Northern Pike with a big mice pattern at the White lake, North West of Mongolia… I always wanted to tie a big mice / mouse pattern that have a big profile, looks alive on water, plenty of build-in action, light and float forever.

I still remember struggled with a wt10, trying to deliver the big mice pattern 50′-60′ away… struggling because the mice become so heavy after it’s wet.. ( I’m a lousy caster 😜 )

Articulated mice pattern fished in 2008

Years later, the ICE AGE mice pattern went tested with success, tie mostly in foam and synthetic materials ( less water absorbance )… float high, easy to cast and the head rise high just like a mice  swimming, splash some water like a gurgle when strip hard…but this pattern have it’s limitation… size depending on the hook.

ICE AGE Mice

2015, a trip to Mongolia with Hans van Klinken… I notice that Hans was catching plenty of big Lenoks and Amur with extra large rubber legs Bomber … ask what does the bomber looks like in the fish eye,  Hans jokingly say : mice..!!!

Yes… it does looks like a mice when it’s wet. with the hackle and rubber legs moving in the water.

I need a mice pattern that is very hairy..!!!

After some study and picking up some ideas from the web, I decided to mix both foam and natural fibers for this pattern.

The Franken Mouse uses minimum deer hair, fur and natural fibers possible, to create the profile… minimize any material that will absorb water like hide or skin… inserting in foam for main flotation.

Foam mainly tie on top with a large ear profile so that the pattern will always float with hook down. Even when it land upside down, a strip will easily flip it over again. Articulated in 3 sections for more action with 2 hooks connected with a 180lbs hard wire shank.

Hmmmm…. guess I’ve give enough ‘life’ to the pattern.

Close cell foam

Deer Hair

Opossum hair

White rabbit fur

Luminous bead

40lbs mono

Suede strip

Rubber legs

Prepare the thread base

Tie in a mono loop

Tie in the suede tail

Tie in some rabbit fur at the bottom and some deer hair on top

Tie in some Opossum fibers on top

Tie in the 2mm close cell foam, finish the bottom with some rabbit fur

Repeat the steps above until the hook eye ( 3rd section completed )

Connect with the hard wire shank

Repeat the similar steps with the deer hair, opossum fibers and foam until the eye of the shank

Tie in the rubber legs and finished it with fibers and foam ( body ready )

Prepare the connecting wire on the main hook

connect the 3rd and 2nd section ( body ) to the main hook

Tie in deer hair and foam ear

Stack in the deer hair

Trim the deer hair ( head portion )

Drop some epoxy and insert the eye

 Luminous bead are use for night fishing

White belly

Cheers and Happy Tying