Mosquito larva exist everywhere there is standing water, these insects hatch rates are staggering to say the least. During the months of May through October these insects are prolific in most of North America and like the black fly are a staple part of a trouts menu based on the Pounds Per Meat Law. Essentially the food item that is most prolific and easily accessible for the least amount of energy the fish puts out is the top food on the menu. Considering the above realization the mosquito should be one of the top tier flys in every trout Fishermans box.
The following quilled mosquito pattern is a fly I've altered many times over the years but that can be winged with a standard hackle collar with hen tips or a simple CDC stack with an underwing of Aero Dry Wing.
The above photo shows two different quill selections. One I over dye in black using Veniards,
the other top bushel is an undyed bleached hackle quill bushel, both of these are from cheap rooster hackles from feather dusters. Each feather duster costs around 7 dollars US which gives me literally hundreds of quills to bleach and or dye!
Using a TMC 212Y hook (size 14 shown here) tie in both quills side by side. Wrap up the hook shank approximately three hook eye distances from hook eye. Make sure your base wraps are smooth and even before starting the double quill wrap. Make sure your quills have soaked for at least two hours prior to tying. You can read my in depth process of bleaching and dying in other excerpts in my blog.
Using micro knotted pheasant tail in black we then tie in two sets of 2 legs on either side.
These legs are tiny! Simply use a jewelers loop set of glasses and a pin light and tweezers to achieve your tight spacing, be patient and do this while listening to relaxing music or while in a hypnotic state.
Extend legs beyond hook bend slightly a knotted segment distance as shown
Tie in Tiemco Aero Dry Wing for under wing, use only a single strand as wrapped on card holder you do not need much and trim short of the bend
Tie in 3 to 4 CDC feathers that extend to hook bend and dub black Superfine dubbing
for thorax, use a few thread wraps ahead of dubbing, remember a mosquito head is EXTREMELY small. So do not overdress this fly, it's not a bushy buffalo, it's a gossamer fairy of a fly!
CB's Quilled Mosquito
Hook: TMC 212Y sizes 12-18
Thread: Veevus 16/0
Body: One black one bleached undyed
(for white segmentation use thinner strand a thicker strand for black)
Legs: Micro knotted pheasant tail black
Under Wing: Tiemco Dry Wing single strand
Wing: Natural or dun CDC
Dubbing: Superfine black (do not over dress)
~Clint Bova www.cjbovarods.com
for orders email:cbova@columbus.rr.com