Bodkin / Patterns

Midges

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

Reference Recipe

  • Hook standard dry-fly, straight eye, 18-24
  • Thread black 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Thread (body) Black thread (70 denier)
  • CDC or poly yarn (wing) White cdc (1 small tuft)
  • Grizzly hackle (collar) Grizzly hackle (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a smooth thread base from behind the eye back to above the barb.
  2. Wrap the thread forward to the 70% mark, building a thin, lightly tapered body from bare thread; use half the bulk you think, this is a midge.
  3. At the 70% mark tie in a short tuft of white CDC pointing forward over the eye for the wing, one hook-gap long, then trim the butts.
  4. Select a grizzly hackle sized to the hook gap and tie it in by the stem just ahead of the wing.
  5. Take 2-3 turns of hackle, sweep the fibers back and bind off; keep the collar sparse so the fly sits low in the film.
  6. Build a small neat head, whip finish, and add a pinhead drop of cement.

Tying videos

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