Top Secret Midge

January 2017 Prize Drawing

Drawing held January 1, 2017

Must "Like" and "Share" on the SST FLIES Facebook page to be eligible to win

10-yards of Glamour Madeira

Will last you a lifetime!

The feature fly tied by me

Notes:

(1)  Glamour Madeira is the "top secret" to this fly.  It is extremely hard to find

(2)  The fly was designed for very finicky fish.

(3)  Super simple tie.  You may desire to coat the body with a very thin application of head cement for durability.

Materials:

Hook:  TMC 2488 or similar, Sizes 18 to 24

Body:  Brown thread of choice.  (14/0 Veevus pictured)

Ribbing:  White thread of choice.  (UTC 70 twisted)

Wing:  Glamour Madeira, Pearl

Thorax:  Super Fine, Rusty Brown or Brown.  (Rusty Brown pictured)

Litmus Midge

Notes:

(1)  A red/silver lining, white or pearl glass bead is most effective.
(2)  Don't allow too much twist on Tiewell's when tying body.  The fuzzier the better!
Great pattern to offer on hard fishes waters or following an angler on a run.
(4)  The body is started exactly as you would thread.  Wind nymph ribbing into the bend and return.  Tie off with black thread.

Materials:

Hook;  Daiichi 1150 or similar curved nymph/scud hook.  Sizes 16-22
Bead:  15/0 red with silver lining or solid white/pearl Toho, Japanese glass
Thread:  Black (Veevus 14/0 pictured)
Body:  Tiewell's Mottled Nymph/Midge Ribbing, Coachmen Red
Thorax:  Hend's Spectra Dubbing, #335,  Dark Brown Peacock

Global Worming

Looking for a new spin on the lowly garden hackle?  Welcome to the "dark side."  

The Atomic Worm was one of the flies I first played around with when ultra violet (UV) resins hit the streets. Replacing V-rib with UV resign coating over the Glitter thread and the standard pearl Flashabou with micro Mirage Flashabou (opal) for the tail has proven to be a winner!   I feel the key to this pattern's renewed vigor is it's thinness, translucency and mottled look of the body.  Of course, securing this fly with an open eyed knot to the end of your tippet for movement will also help tremendously!

Aquatic worms come in a variety of colors, but shades of red (including bright red) are universal in most waters.  Don't be afraid to fish these patterns in black, brown, tan, or olive.

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1250 (size 12 pictured) or choice, sizes 8 to 16.

Thread/Body:  Glitter Thread, blood red.  Head is secured utilizing standard 6/0 (UTC 70 pictured)

Tail:  Micro Mirage Flashabou, opal, 3-strands, 

Coating:  UV resin, choice.  Deer Creek (fine) pictured.

Step 1:

Flatten barb with vise jaws.  Secure hook.  Start Glitter Thread at hook point and make 5 or 6 close, touching turns rearwards,  Remove waste end.

Step 2:

Secure 3-strands of Mirage Flashabou to the top of the hook with 5 or 6 close, touching turns.

Step 2A:

Advance thread forward past starting point (about 5 or 6 turns).

Step 2B:

Wind thread rearward well into the hook bend.  Ensure Mirage Flashabou remains of top of the shank.  Advance thread forward stopping approximately one eye length behind the eye as pictured. The fly should be thicker at the bend than head.

Step 3:

Start UTC 70 behind the eye and remove waste end.  

Step 3A:

Once Glitter Thread is secure with a few wraps of UTC 70 remove tag.  Whip finish.

Step 4:

Apply one or two thin coats of UV resin,  Trim tail to approximately 1/2 body length.  Your Global Worming is complete!

If you desire to tie on a "swimming nymph" style hook I recommend trimming the tail 1/8 to 1/4 body length.

Enjoy!

JAB's Hot Wings (Pink)

Let's tie another fly with an interesting trigger feature!  

Body Quill hasn't been on the market too long, but I have already found a few uses for it.  On my "Hot Wings" patterns I've incorporated into the butt; which, replaces Frostbite and Antron for the wing(s).

In addition to the fluorescent pink other "hot" colors are available:  chartreuse, orange and yellow.  They're all phenomenal!  I strongly recommend giving them a go.

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1150 (Size 18 pictured) or any curved scud hook (Sizes 16 to 24)

Bead:  15/0 Japanese glass Tohu, transparent/silver lined

Thread:  Benecchi 12/0 Black

Butt:  Veevus Quill Body, Hot Pink

Body:  Veevus Quill Body, Black

Ribbing:  Hends Silver, .09mm

Hot Wing:  Microfilaments from hot pink Quill Body

Thorax:  Super Fine, Black

Step 1:

Flatten barb with vise.  Add 15/0 bead and secure in vise.

Step 2: 

Start/secure thread with 5 or 6 wraps.

Step 3:

Remove 8 to 10 inches of hot pink Body Quill from spool.  Unravel and separate the main mylar and two microfilaments by applying ing mild pressure to Body Quill at the midway point of the strand and draw the material through your thumb and index finger.  Once separated lay the microfilaments to the side.

Take pink mylar and secure to the top of the shank.  The best way to do this without taking a lot of thread wraps is simply drawing the mylar underneath the hook and bring material up and over the over shank twice then take one wrap of thread.

Step 3A:

Wrap Body Quill rearward into the bend of the hook as pictured.  Try to lay the wraps side-by-side without overlapping.  Return to the bead area.  Remove waste ends.

Step 4:

Remove 4 to 6 inches of silver ribbing material.  Secure as step 3.

Step 4A:

Remove 8 to 10 inches of black Quill Body.  Secure as step 3.

Step 4B:

Wrap black Body Quill to the rear of the hook leaving a small tag of hot pink Body Quill showing and return to the bead area.  As you wrap rearward keep ribbing parallel with hook shank. Remove waste ends.

Step 5:

Wind ribbing forward and secure.  I keep the ribbing narrow at 6 to 7 wraps.

Step 6:

Fold over hot pink microfilaments and cut one or both ends for flush ends.  Place microfilaments on top the the hook shank and secured with 2 or 3 firm thread wraps.  You should have four microfilaments on either side of securing point as shown.

Step 6A:

Apply a little pressure to the bobbin tightening previous thread wraps.  Grab the forward microfilaments and bring back over the fly.  Make 3 good securing wraps of thread.  Do not clip wing.

Step 7:

Dub a small thorax of Super Fine.  Whip finish.  Cut wing to 3/4 body length.  Finished!

Enjoy!

Alien Midge

Notes:

(1)  A very easy pattern to tie.
(2)  The original calls for a thorax of  Ice Dubbing (Peacock)
(3)  Start and tie body with Glitter Thread.   Once body is formed start black thread behind bead and tie off Glitter Thread.  Both waste ends are removed.  Dub thorax.
(4)  Simple change the color of the Glitter Thread to meet the needs of your favorite water(s)

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1140, 1150, TMC 2488 or similar scud style hook. (Sizes 16-22)
Bead:   Killer Caddis  15/0,  Rootbeer (Color Core) (EYK2050)
Thread:  Veevus 14/0, Black
Body:  Glitter Thread, Rust (pictured)
Thorax:  Jan Siman Peacock Dubbing,  #07 UV Green

Perdigon Midge (UV) (Pink)

You might have heard of the popular Perdigon nymphs from Europe, but I doubt you've heard or seen a Perdigon midge pattern?   To be honest I've never seen or heard of a Perdigon midge pattern either, but I did intend following the tying simplicity and technique of the nymphs when I designed this "attractor midge."  The name is derived from nothing more than the body material used to tie this pattern. 

Why pink?  This color has always been a good attractor for me in the Pacific Northwest and now the Sierra's.  Perhaps the common denominator is the Glossosoma caddis larva; which, can be found in hues of creams, orange, pink, and on some creeks and rivers here in California, even  a purplish coloration.  Should be pretty easy to understand why I chose the pink ultra violet (UV), eh?

In addition to the pink UV  I've added a 15/0 transparent pink with silver lining glass bead and placed a hot spot of fluorescent pink thread immediately behind the bead.  The bead absorbs some of the thread color allowing for visual pop.  Lastly, I applied a very thin coating of UV resin to the bead.  The bead has taken on a whole new look!

The best time(s) to fish this pattern is mid-spring through the summer when the Glossosoma larva are most active.  To break this time down even further look at late evenings when the larva free themselves from their stony homes start the downstream drift.  I would also suggest fishing this pattern in the dead of winter and/or after a good dumping of rain.   Who knows?  The fish may mistake for an aquatic worm, freshwater shrimp or even strike out of curiosity.   Fish the faster runs and riffles!

Troutline (Romania) is the genius behind this hot material- Perdigon UV Flat Tinsel.  It is currently available in 7-colors and my fingers are tightly crossed for more!  This mylar tinsel is unique in that it has a base color,  a pearlescent effect and an UV effect.  Which color or effect is more predominant depends on the angle of light.  However, all three colors seems to be visible to some degree at any given time or condition. 

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1150  or any curved scud hook (Sizes 16-20)  (Size 18 pictured)

Bead:  15/0 Japanese glass Tohu,  #245

Thread:  UTC 70 Fl Pink

Body:  Perdigon UV Flat Tinsel, Pink

Step 1:

Flatten barb with vise jaws.  Add 15/0 bead and secure hook in vise.

Step 2:

Take 5 or 6 threads to start/secure thread.  Remove tag end.

Step 3:

Remove approximately 8 to 10 inches of Perdigon tinsel from the spool.   To secure tinsel without taking one turn of thread simply take the tinsel underneath the hook and grab the tag end (left) from behind the hook and lift straight up with both hands from slightly behind the hook.  Repeat this step two more times in a counter-clockwise (or front to back) rotation around the hook shank.  You should essentially have three wraps of thread securing the tinsel.  Apply a slight amount of pressure to the threads wraps pulling on bobbin and take an addition thread wrap forward behind the bead.

Step 4:

Wrap tinsel to approximately the halfway point and return to the bead area.   Now take tinsel turns well into the bend of the hook and turn back to the bead.  This will create a nice tapered body.  Secure with a 3 or 4 turn whip finish.

Step 5:

Apply a thin coat or two of UV resin to achieve desired effect.  If desired, add a very thin coat of resin to the bead.  The bead will take on a whole new look/effect.  The fly is complete!

Enjoy!

Canyon Creek

Notes:

(1)  The color purple possesses the longest wavelength making it an excellent choice any water condition or depth.
(2)  Ice blue Flashabou turns a very deep purple effect when wound around the black thread body.
(3)  Switching the black thread to white will change this pattern to a wonderful phantom midge imitation,
(4)  Tie them in sizes 10-16 for lakes and 16-20 for rivers and creeks
(5)  One of the first patterns I tie on in early morning!

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1260 or choice.  Sizes 10-20.  (Size 18 pictured)
Bead:  18/0 glass, Pearl
Thread:  14/0 Veevus, Black
Rib:  Flashabou, Ice Blue
Wing buds:  Glo-Brite Floss, #6 Hot Orange
Wing Case:  Sulky Holoshimmer, Pearl

JAB's UV Wing Emerger

The blog will showcase quite a few different midge patterns over the course of the next few weeks.   Exciting, eh?  I know these small patterns don't appeal to many among the masses, but the reasons to exhibit them are numerous.  However,  my main  motivation is two-fold.  First, midges are an important staple to trout throughout the year in moving or still waters. More so during the colder months.  Frankly, it would fatuous not to have at least a small selection of midge patterns available at any given time.   Secondly, it gives me an opportunity to display different materials not commonly seen in fly shops, pattern books or the internet.  Utilizing different materials is fun and exciting.  But it truly opens the gateway to theory, thought and creativity when we sit down at the vise. 

This time I'll utilize Ice Dubbing for the wing.  There are a couple different ways to tie in this curly/crinkly material in for winging material, and perhaps you'll immediately think of Mercer's Trigger Nymph, but I'll stick to the easiest technique first.   I'll also be adding the microfibers from Glitter Thread for the shuck.  These microfibers  are very similar to Z-lon, but thinner in diameter making it an ideal shuck or wing material for small or micro patterns. 

Materials

Hook:  Daiichi 1150 (size 18 pictured) or any curved scud hook (sizes 16-22)

Bead:  15/0 Japanese Tohu glass bead - Gunmetal

Thread:  14/0 Veevus (Black pictured) or similar thin denier thread.  Brown, tan, cream, light or dark olive are excellent back-up colors.

Ribbing:  Hends .09mm Red wire or similar equivalent.

Shuck:  Microfibers from white Glitter Thread

Thorax:  Sybai Fine Flash, Black (very dark peacock coloration)

Step 1:

Flatten barb with vise jaws  Add bead to hook and secure in vice.  Start thread immediately behind bead and make 5 or 6 rearward wraps.

Step 2:

Remove 3 or 4 inches of ribbing from the spool.  To secure ribbing without taking one turn of thread simply take the wire underneath the hook and grab the tag end (left) from behind the hook and lift straight up with both hands from slightly behind the hook.  Repeat this step two more times in a counter-clockwise (or front to back) rotation around the hook shank.  You should essentially have three wraps of thread securing the wire.  Apply a slight amount of pressure to the threads wraps pulling on bobbin.  Ensure ribbing is parallel to hook shank.

Step 3:

Cut 2 or 3 inches of Glitter Thread from spool.  To separate the fibers apply medium pressure to thread with a pinch between index and thumb.  Draw from the middle of thread outward.  Remove pearl mylar core.  You should have five transparent microfibers in hand.  Secure microfibers to the top of the shank utilizing the method in step 2.  This time take one full movement around the shank followed by one turn of thread.

Step 4:

Ensure thread remains flat throughout this step.

Make even wraps of thread rearward into the bend of the hook as pictured and return to the bead.  Because we are securing materials to a bare shank make sure ribbing stays parallel to the body and the shuck remains directly on top of the hook.

Step 5:

Wind ribbing forward.  Ensure shuck microfibers remain directly on top of the hook shank.  You  will have to adjust the microfibers with the opposite hand during the first turn or two of ribbing.  The first two turns of ribbing are touching with the first turn immediately behind the thread.  Take an additional 7 or 8 wraps of ribbing while slightly opening the distance between turns.  Secure with flat thread wraps.  Cutting the shuck to length can be done now or after the fly is finished.  I prefer to wait and remove the fly from the vise.  This aids is determining proper length and keeps my scissor points away from the vise.

Step 6:

Remove just little UV Ice Dubbing fibers from package.  I try to retrieve a total of 15 to 20 fibers in equal parts of both the gray and UV mylar.   Lightly rolling the fibers between the index finger and thumb will help control the material as well as heavily moistening or wetting the fibers with water.  Tie in Ice Dubbing directly to the top of the shank.  Note the thread is to the rear of the thorax area.

Step 6A:

Draw forward fibers rearward back over the body at the same time as applying pressure to the thread wraps.  Secure with forward thread wraps.  Thread should finish directly behind the bead as shown.

Step 7:

Dub a small thorax of Fine Flash.  Whip finish. 

Step 8:

Trim wing to length.  Just past a half body length is perfect!  Remove hook and trim shuck to one body length.

Pink Eye

Notes:

(1)  Pink is often over-looked as a good color to fish.  Fish this midge pattern down along the gravel at the tail end of spawning and you'll be in business.  I believe the bright pink glass bead might get mistaken for a small egg.
(2)  Another good time to tie on this pattern is during periods of low light.

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1140, 1150 or any curved scud style hook.  Sizes 16-22
Bead:  15/0 Japanese Tohu glass.  Transparent with hot pink lining.
Thread:  12/0 Benecchi, black
Body:   Hend's Body Quill, black (or Veevus Body Quill)
Ribing:  UTC extra small, hot pink
Thorax:  75-percent Ice Dubbing, pearl blue and 25-percent dyed black muskrat mixed.

Poison Tohu

Notes;

(1)  This is a variant of Charlie Craven's Poison Tung (Deep Blue).  A glass bead replaces the silver nickel tungsten bead and gunmetal UTC wire replaces peacock blue Lagartun wire.
(2)  Wonderful pattern for chasing trout in cold weather.  For some reason the fish react very well to the color blue when the mercury drops near the bottom of the thermometer!

Materials:

Hook: Daiichi 1140, 1150 or any curved scud style hook.  Size 16-22
Bead:  15/0 Japanese Tohu transparent/silver lining
Thread/Body:  12/0 Benecchi, gray
Ribbing:  UTC extra small, gunmetal blue
Thorax:  Ice Dubbing, UV gray.

Haight-Ashbury Midge

Notes:

(1)  Good pattern to offer on hard pressed waters and fish or freshly stocked rainbows.
(2)  The ultra violet Krystal Flash coupled with the holographic properties of Sulky offer depth and dimension in the body as well as a highly visible target.
(3)  The body is formed by twisting Hend's UV Purple Krystal Flash and Sulky Holoshimmer in Light Copper (#6011) and Cranberry (#6055)
(4)  The thorax is formed with a medium tension dubbing loop.  Once spun and wrapped the hair is brought forward of the bead and then pinched-pulled to length.  Should look similar to wrapped ostrich herl when completed.
(4)  Definitely worth while to tie this pattern in brighter or drab color combinations and larger sizes which may imitate caddis.

Materials:

Hook:  Daiichi 1140, 1150 or any curve scud style hook.  Sizes 12-20
Bead:  15/0 Japanese Tohu glass.  Transparent/silver lining
Thread:  UTC 70 or choice, black
Body:  Hend's UV Purple Krystal Flash, Sulky Holoshimmer light copper (#6011) and cranberry (#6055) twisted tightly.
Wing:  Glitter Thread, pearl (2-strands) unraveled
Thorax:  Muskrat dyed black mixed with Sybai Fine Flash, black.

JAB's Trigger Wing Emerger (Midge)

The little gem of a 4.3 mile tailwater I fish is only 70-miles north of San Francisco and a fairly quick drive from Sacramento.  If you can imagine the angling pressure sometimes....  (Thankfully, I can sleep in a little bit and still beat the crowd from these locations!)  Although angling pressure has it's days there's been times where I was with less an a handful of anglers on the water.  However, this water can frequently be highly technical  and one better bring their "A game."  Additionally,  the fish have seen every Pheasant Tail Nymph, Hares Ear, etc.  Believe me!

The wild fish grow rather quickly here.  It is not to uncommon to see a one year fish at 8 to 11 inches with faint parr markings!  While there is a plethora of feed to dine upon midges are a daily staple for many of the fish.  And quite a few anglers join the 20-20 Club on this creek.  (The 20-20 Club is fictitious charter club, but anyone can join by catching a 20-plus inch trout on a fly size 20 and smaller.)

Tying a fly with a trigger feature, i.e., hot butt, bead head, hot thorax, shuck, etc., is nothing new.  However,  I rarely see anglers utilizing ultra violet (UV) as  winging material in their emerger patterns- especially midges.   I am particularly fond of UV wings in slightly murky and/or faster moving water.  Remember, fish may only have a fraction of time to intercept your presentation and having some kind of "pop" on a very small offering might be the key.   In lakes requiring deep presentations of midge patterns the UV wing definitely stands out in the depths!

Sybai Tackle from the Czech Republic manufactures a host of colors in their pearl braid.  Interesting enough, among these colors, are two different shades of UV.  One shade is what most tiers are accustom to.  It has a pearl appearance, but emits the purplish color at the right light angle.  The other shade looks like a medium to dark gray with a darker purple effect. 

Seventy-five percent of the flies I tie with this material use the standard pearl UV.  I find early mornings, late evenings, darker days, cloud cover or fast water prime time with this shade.  On very bright days or crystal clear water the gray UV is far better.

Let's tie my Trigger Wing Emerger.  It is a very simply fly, but  the key is keeping it thin on materials.  You'll also note that I am utilizing a very small 18/0 bead.  These are not available at any fly shop that I know of.   However, eBay list several beads and sizes at a fraction of the cost.  In fact, one 10-gram bag of 15/0 or 18/0 beads are five lifetimes worth!

Materials

Hook:  TMC 2488 (Sizes 16-22) or similar
Bead:  18/0 Pearl glass
Body:  12/0 Benecchi, Dark Olive (Black, tan, dun olive, cream are alternatives)
Ribbing:  Hends Super Fine Micron .04mm, stainless steel
Wing:  Sybai Pearl Braidback, Ultra Violet (light) or Dark Ultra Violet
Thorax:  Super Fine, Black

Step 1:

Flatten barb with vise jaws.  Place 18/0 bead on hook and secure in vise.  Start immediately behind bead and take four or five starting wraps.  Remove tag end.

Step 2:

Remove 3 or 4 inches of Micron from spool.  Secure ribbing without taking one wrap of thread.  Simply bring the material under the hook slightly touching the thread the move up and away from you.  Both hands should be on the far side of the vise.  Now lift straight up.  he ribbing should be under the last turn of thread.  Repeat this process once or twice.  Ensure ribbing is parallel with hook shank.

Step 3:

Wind thread rearward well into the bend of the hook.  Ensure thread wraps lay flat  Despite the thread being of small diameter it will flatten.  Once thread has been wrapped to the approximate spot (see picture) return thread to the bead.  Reminder:  keep the thread flat.

Step 4:

The first two turns of ribbing are wound behind the thread body.  This ensure the thread doesn't slip down the hook bend.  The next two turns of ribbing are close and then opened in distance to the bead area (as pictured).

Step 5:

Cut 2-inches of Pearl Braid.  Use bodkin to separate strands.  Remove 2-strands and place on top of hook shank (as pictured). 

Step 5A:

Once tightly secure (Step 5) bring the forward strands back over the body and secure with a wrap tight wraps.  The wings should lay nearly flat of the body.  Clip wings to approximately 3/4 body length.

Step 6:

Dub a very small thorax of Super Fine and whip finish.

Enjoy!