Fly of the Month: Tulip MOE

MOE (Mother of Epoxy) flies have been around for quite a while. The original MOE's were developed for tricking bonefish and other species on the Florida flats. The diamond shaped heads of these unusual flies were made by pressing a prepared hook shank into a dollop of hot glue on wax paper. The glue was allowed to cool around the shank and then pulled free from the wax paper. The head was then trimmed with scissors and shaped by dipping in hot water and molding with delicate finger pressure. Forming the bodies by hand was a somewhat tedious process but worth the effort. The finished MOE flies were outstanding flats patterns with a universally appealing "fleeing crustacean" look.

As methods for tying with epoxy improved, many tiers began using it to form the heads of MOE flies instead of hot glue. Epoxy held up far better in the summer heat and formed a dense durable fly with a beautiful glass-like finish. Different color heads were created by tinting the epoxy with dies, or applying the epoxy over reflective materials.

I've tied hundreds of MOE flies using epoxy. They are tough reliable flies that are killer on redfish and pretty respectable on smallmouth bass too. But working with epoxy is no cake walk. It's messy, the fumes are bad for you, and a turner is required to achieve consistent results. And if uncured epoxy ever finds its way onto your nostril, eye lid, or worst of all- your contact lenses, believe me... you'll be cryin' for mama. But there is an alternative to epoxy and hot glue that works great on MOE flies and a host of other patterns. It is non-toxic, water based, inexpensive, and easy to work with. What is it? Tulip fabric paint.

Tulip fabric paint is a "dimensional" paint, meaning it imparts both color and shape. It's sold in nearly any department or craft store and is available in an endless assortment of colors and sheens. The paints labeled as "slick" are ideal for tying because they hold their shape when wet (no fly turner required) and they dry to a tough flexible finish. Most fabric paints will shrink and tighten as they dry, so remember to add a bit more bulk than you think you need when you apply the paint. The longer you experiment with fabric paint, the more uses you will find for it. You can use it to form shrimp backs, crab bodies and claws, baitfish heads, and awesome 3-D eyes. The neat thing is if you mess up, just wipe it off and try again.

The chartreuse Tulip MOE shown here takes just a few minutes to tie. It rides with the hook oriented upright for weedless action and its slender shape casts accurately in the wind. Other good colors for the Texas flats include orange with a red head, and root beer with a bronze head. Shallow redfish love this pattern.

Materials:

Hook- Mustad 34007 or equivalent, size #2 to #8 (#4 shown)

Thread- Clear nylon mono

Eyes- Mono eyes or black bead chain

Head Coating- Tulip fabric paint

Wing- Supreme hair over bucktail