Sprout Midge - Dry Fly - Fly Fish Food

Black Sprout Midge

I remember very clearly when I first started to fish midge dry flies. It was kind of one of those areas that I considered waaaaay over my head, because it wasn't just dry fly fishing - it was trying to catch picky fish on what seemed like a tiny fluff of carpet on a tiny hook. I had been fly fishing about a year, and I had a trusty Pflueger Trophy Tamer 6 wt and a matching reel that was equally awesome. My friend Aaron and I were fishing the Green River in Utah, and the fish were really targeting small midges on top all day long. This was my chance to jump in head first to the midge dry fly circus. I had tied some small parachute flies that were copies of the flies that I had seen in bins in the local shops in Salt Lake, so I lashed them on with the smallest tippet that I had (4x) and hoped for the best. They weren't the best ties in the world, but the fish absolutely ate them up, and that day went down as one of the most memorable days of fishing that I have had. We probably caught ten or so fish each, but I may as well have caught 150. After a gorge burger and a long drive back home, I found out that they were called the Sprout Midge - and that I had forgotten the trailing shuck on the back. They worked so well that they have become a staple in my box - without the shuck, and they are easy enough to tie that you can crank out a bunch in no time.

~ Cheech

Recipes:

**Since the thread is a key part of this fly, feel free to use your favorite thread on this fly. MFC 8/0, Danville 70, and Veevus 16/0 - 14/0 are all capable substitutes.

Black

Hook: Daiichi 1130- #20 (+)
Thread: Uni 8/0- Black (+)
Thorax: Ice Dub- Black (+)
Post: Para Post Material - White (+)
Hackle: Black or grizzly. See below

Olive

Hook: Daiichi 1130- #20 (+)
Thread: Uni 8/0- Olive (+)
Thorax: Ice Dub- Olive Brown (+)
Post: Para Post Material - White (+)
Hackle: Dun or grizzly. See below

Gray

Hook: Daiichi 1130- #20 (+)
Thread: Uni 8/0- Gray (+)
Thorax: Ice Dub- Callibaetis (+)
Post: Para Post Material - White (+)
Hackle: Dun or Grizzly. See below

A note on the hackle... Many different types of hackle can be used on this fly, and we chose to use a Whiting Cape in black. This being said, the Hebert Miner Capes, High and Dry Capes, and Whiting Midge Saddles also work great for this fly. Black, Grizzly, and Dun are my favorite colors for midges. Also, you will find many useable hackles in the small sizes on both Bronze and Pro Grade hackles. Curtis and I both have several of both grades and we are constantly blown away by the quality of these "lower" grade hackles. Check out our selection of dry fly hackle HERE.