In this week’s great tying video, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions discusses his growing confidence in the color blue for winter fishing and then shows us how to tie a tiny, elegant midge pattern. Whenever I think about tying flies smaller than size 20, I worry about my fat fingers getting in the way, keeping the hook eye clear, and leaving enough of a hook gap to make a solid connection with a trout. Having known Tim for many years, I can assure you that his digits aren’t freakishly slender, so if he can do it, we can do it. And, of course, he constructs the fly in such a way that your 6X or 7X tippet should slide right through the hook eye (if you can see it, of course), and the bottom of the fly body is nice a clean.
Winter Parachute Midge
Hook: Scud/pupa hook (here, a Dai-Riki #135), size 22.
Thread #1: Peacock blue, 70-denier or 8/0.
Trailing shuck: Golden brown Antron yarn.
Post: White polypropylene floating yarn.
Rib/thread #2: White Veevus, 16/0.
Hackle: Grizzly midge hackle.
Adhesive: Head cement (here, Sally Hansen Hard-as-Nails).
Tools: Whip-finisher, fine-point tying scissors.