Mop fly identification

[SteveG]

I got out for the afternoon on a creek that recovers quickly from high water events. While cleaning some debris from my nymph dropper, I found that it had snagged a large cream colored larvae with a dark head. It was pushing well over two inches in length.

My first thought was that maybe it was a terrestrial insect larvae that got washed into the creek, but it was fine in the water. After checking troutnut.com, it looks very similar to the crane fly larvae they have pics of.

I don't fish mop flies, but I think I'm about to start.

 

[troutbert]

You can tie crane fly larvae imitations with dubbing.

Just tie a Walts Worm in the appropriate size.

 

[JerryC]

Mop flies work. I have no shame, so I use them. Most folks tend to tie Crane fly larva with gray mop pieces. They come in a lot of other colors. These two are about two inches long, tied on a size 6 or 8 hook. Since I was only tying about half dozen of each color I used permanent markers to color them.

 

[sandfly]

cranefly larva

 

[MKern]

Cranefly for sure. Used to kick the up with minnies as a kid.

The adults are massive.