Bodkin / Patterns

Midge Cluster

Midge · Dry Fly · Trout · Grayling · Beginner · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry fly, 18-22
  • Thread Gray or black 8/0

Materials

  • Body Peacock herl or gray dubbing (full, round)
  • Wing/Post White poly yarn (visible puff)
  • Hackle Grizzly hackle (palmered or collar)

How to tie it

  1. Mount hook, start thread at the bend.
  2. Tie in a puff of white poly yarn at midshank as a wing and indicator. Trim to a small, visible tuft. You need to see this fly on the water, and without the puff. You won't.
  3. Tie in 2-3 peacock herls at the bend. Twist them together into a rope for durability, then wrap forward to build a full, round body. Unlike single-midge patterns, cluster patterns should look chunky. You're imitating a ball of midges, not one insect.
  4. Palmer a grizzly hackle through the body in 4-5 open spiral turns. The grizzly barring suggests multiple insects in the cluster.
  5. Trim the poly puff to shape, build a small head, whip finish.

Tying videos

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