Midge and blue-winged olive hatches often coincide and two fish in adjacent feeding lanes could be keyed in on one or the other. So why not fish a fly that covers both? The Molive (“midge” + “olive”) is a crossover pattern that can be fished during such hatches and can be mistaken for an olive or a midge without having to switch flies. It’s easy to tie down to a #26, but I most often fish it in #22 or #24 (a #22 is pictured).
Why caribou instead of a deer or elk hair wing? Deer and elk aren’t as hollow and don’t flare as much toward the tips, so when you’re tying something this small where you are tying a shorter wing close to the tips, caribou is a better choice. Also, it’s “softer” and compresses easily so you can secure it to the hook with a minimum of wraps to avoid a bulky head.
Tip: Only add floatant to the wing so that the body hangs just below the surface film to suggest an emerging insect.
Jason’s Molive Recipe
Hook: Daiichi 1130, #22 or #24 (substitute: TMC 2487)
Thread: Uni, black 8/0
Body: Stripped peacock herl
Underwing: 4 strands of pearl Krystal Flash
Overwing: Caribou (tied Elk Hair Caddis style)
It may not be a “traditional tenkara fly”, but when the opportunity to catch trout on a dry fly on a wintery day presents itself, screw tradition!
great article! Gets my mind off the terrible gunning down of innocent people. Tying this wonderful little fly gives me moments of sanity among the tears and headaches as i feel the pain of the parents, families,and friends inThousand Oaks, and Pittsburgh. i also want to thank you for your personal stand for non violence.
thanks Jason
Hey Dan, thanks. I know what you mean. I often take refuge in fishing and tying just to give myself a break from the current socio-political farce inflicted upon us. Without this reverie, I’d probably go insane.
That’s pretty brilliant, Jason!
Kudos for thinking of it. I’d probably have bought a few and shipped them to my son in Co. Springs if you had them on your site.
In the past year, I’ve pared it all down to an Orvis Guide sling with a couple of mini-tenkara rods – each rigged with different flies/leaders, a mini telescopic spin rod, and a 7.5ft 7 piece 3 weight fly rod, and my concealed carry that I am never without. I have it all INSIDE this pack which I love for ease when I bushwhack thru the small warm water streams and creeks that are all I have within a few hours of my house. (My net hangs outside of course…but I use a small, folding net and it tucks behind the pack nicely when not in hand.) Nothing to snag on anything and I am using the Tenkara rods more and more. The beauty of this system, of course, is that I can switch back and forth between rods/methods at will – on the water – without every taking my pack off.
Its funny… I laugh now…I find myself LOOKING for situations to use my Tenkara rod(s) as I move thru water OVER using my other rods. I’ve even started to use more Tenkara specific flies – although I admit I’m not sure they are any more effective on the smallies, creek bass, and panfish than the regular ones I’ve used for years.
I used to not carry water – only a filter straw – which was fine, but the new pack allows me to carry a real water bottle alone with my “possibles kit” to make fire, shelter, tend to a wound etc..or if I have to spend the night or something.
I’d say my Tenkara rods have become more and more my favorite to use and EASILY I can apply a large credit to your writings and videos as a chief source of info and inspiration. Thanks again for all these years you have written (I’ve been around your content since the last decade! lol.)
thanks again and keep up the great work!
john n.
jason, how about a video!
Hi Eugene, well so far, you’re the third person to ask me for a video on it so I guess I’ll have to now!
That’s a wonderful pattern, Jason! Well thought out! I’l be #4 interested in a tying video of this. Thanks, as always, for posting!
Love it!
Oh my, #22-#24.