Midges | Ginger Smudge

 This adult fly pattern is a fly I use all the time especially in the late summer and fall. Like many caddis patterns during the fall season adult midges take on a rusty tan color on the Mad River. The Ginger Smudge is tied on a fine wire short shank hook. It is a relatively simple pattern to tie other than the fact that it is very small. Keeping the bulk down is very important so I count my wraps, use fine beaver belly dubbing, and minimize the amount of CDC, two or three feathers is sufficient.

The TMC 531 #20 is first wrapped with a ginger dyed quill and varnished

Micro knotted ginger pheasant tail legs, do this with tweezers 

and a high powered magnifier

Tie in knotted pheasant tail three hook eyes back, four legs are 

enough two on either side

Underwing use Tiemco Aero Dry Wing or waterproof Antron 

a hook eyes distance short of the hook bend

Dub in a sparse collar of ginger beaver belly

Tie in Ginger CDC (over wing) make sure it does not extend 

beyond end of quill at hook bend

Use your velcro hook stick to loosen up beaver belly slightly this will 

give the appearance of a gestural impressionistic fly in profile

Proportionally this adult midge pattern is sparse at best but we have tied

in some materials that can potentially cause bulk problems so

count your wraps and “tie small”

With some practice this fly is simple to tie even at this hook size,

remember not to over dub and use a 16/0 thread count your wraps!

Hook: TMC 531 short shank #18-24

Thread: Veevus ginger 16/0

Body: Pheasant tail quill tan or ginger

Legs: Ginger knotted peacock (micro knots)

Under Wing: Aero Dry Wing lt. dun (shown) or Antron

Wing: Ginger CDC

Happy Midging!

~Clint Joseph Bova