Skip to main content

The One Tiny Box Challenge | #2 The Fore & Aft Midge

 


#20 Fore & Aft Midge
The Griffiths Gnat is a pattern that has been around for a very long time. For the most part this pattern mimics a midge cluster using hackle spun around a full shank of peacock herl. It quite honestly looks like a tiny round ball of dust. It has been a popular staple fly for many many decades. The main problem I have with the Griffiths Gnat is that it represents a very specific profile that imitates multiple insects latched together. It does not necessarily represent the single midge in its shedding pupal stage, which in my opinion, is one of the most important life stages of the insect.  Selective trout will often be zeroing in on individual insects shucking in the surface film.

The Fore and Aft Midge represents the insect in an impressionistic manner giving it the profile of the pupal stage breaking out with legs (fore) emerging and a trailing shuck (aft) trailing behind. This pattern is very easy to tie and has been my go to fly for decades. This fly is extremely durable and floats like a princess even after multiple strikes and hook ups making it more valuable in my fly box than my CDC midges. I have written at least a half dozen articles on this pattern over the years but tying these little guys never gets tiring. The Fore and Aft Midge can be tied in black, olive, dun, and tan depending on conditions and season. The rear hackle I typically use light dun, bodies comprised of quills, stripped rooster hackle and dyed. Peacock quills are also very effective on this pattern for bodies. For the trailing shuck I use duck flank either lemon or natural or alternatively you can use Tiemco Aero Dry Wing in light dun and singe the fibers at the tips with a lighter. My preferred hook is TMC 531 in sizes 18-22.


                                         Hook: TMC 531 sizes 18-22
                                         Thread: Veevus 16/0 olive, black, dun, tan
                                         Body: Stripped and dyed rooster hackle quills, or peacock quills
                                         Rear Hackle: Light Dun
                                         Hackle Collar: Black Hackle
                                         Trailing Shuck: Duck Flank or Tiemco Aero Dry Wing



A very tiny simple fly but probably the deadliest in my midge arsenal.
~Clint Bova
                                                          






Labels

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

The Four Season Emerger

Fellow fly fishers ask me all the time what kind of “staple” emerger pattern I use so I decided to share my “Four Season Emerger” pattern. The following is a simple emerger pattern that I use season after season. This fly is very durable, very convincing, and the TMC 212Y hook is a perfect canvas for this style fly. The Four Season Emerger Thread: Veevus 14/0 Hook: TMC 212Y 14-22 Wing: CDC natural or desired tint Body: Dyed Peacock quill Dubbing: (Thorax) Beaver Belly w/guard hairs Legs: Knotted dyed Pheasant tail (double knotted) Varnish: SH Hard as Nails You can tie this up as a midge, mayfly, or even caddis imitation depending on your proportions and material selections. First create a body on a TMC 212Y sizes #14-22 by winding a stripped and dyed peacock quill. Varnish with 2 coats of SH Hard as Nails. After your bodies have dried tie in some knotted pheasant tail. Notice the two knotted strands, two legs on both sides of the hook. Dub over your thr...
continue reading »

Slow Water Caddis Emerger

 The Caddis emerger is a very important part of the trouts diet. During this life stage the Caddis is especially vulnerable to the elements and is easy prey thus making it very attractive to these very energy conscious fish. The insect is just about ready to break free of its nymphal shuck and the count down for its launch sequence begins with a few wiggles. I have always been looking for a great surface fly that mimics these little beauties. For a few years now I have gotten a lot of use of this little emerger pattern that tends to out fish most of my other emerger patterns even when there is no discernible hatch. This is a great pattern for super finicky Brown trout. I have fooled many fish with this pattern and with the right combination of materials it is a pattern that stays floating even in fast water for a long time. With the use of TMC's Aero Wing material (extended shuck) the fly is a great floater. The fibers are not only fine but hollow keeping the fly float...
continue reading »

CB's Japanese Beetles

 above photo: Provided by Debbi T. Walker an Ohio Photographer.  Debbi is a talented outdoor photographer who loves to take pictures of insects, animals, and landscapes and often shoots photography around the Mad River and Cedar Bog. In the heat of the summer many fish hunker down during the day and will pass up the occasional Caddis, midge, or ant floating overhead. Often fish conserve energy for a larger more nourishing food item. During the summer months fish want to conserve energy and exert themselves only for the most significant meal.    This is called the “Pounds Per Meat Law” again the least amount of energy is expelled for the most nourishment possible. This should be the mid-summer mantra for both fishers and fish!  Large ants are another food item that fish will come off of the bottom for during the midday sun and heat. Japanese Beetles are one of those items on the surface menu that will spark a fishes interest when nothing ...
continue reading »