The Griffith’s Gnat is a venerable pattern named for one of the founders of Trout Unlimited, George Griffith. (Our friends at Tightline Productions showed you how to tie this fly years ago.) At some point, Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies–in West Yellowstone, Montana–combined the original pattern with his own Zelon Emerger to create the Griffith’s Gnat Emerger. According to Mathews, the hybrid pattern works great on fish seeking individual midges and actually works as an imitation of almost any small insect.
In the weekly fly-tying video from Tim Flagler, he shows you how to tie this simple pattern, offering a couple of tricks to help you control the materials on such a tiny hook. This time of year, midges can be the only insect on the surface, so twist a few of these up before you head out into the cold.
Griffith’s Gnat Emerger
Hook: Emerger hook (here, a Dai-Riki #125), size 20.
Thread: Light olive, 8/0 or 70-denier.
Trailing shuck: Golden brown Antron yarn.
Hackle: Grizzly saddle hackle, slightly undersize.
Thorax: Peacock herl.
Head: Tying thread.
Tools: Plunger-style hackle pliers.
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