Greenfly A B Midge Black terrestrial Riveted smut Micro Midge Thoughts and styles for Terrestrials
SMC Greenfly A good pattern when greenfly or any of the aphids are on the menu, simply change the colour to match the most common types you find on your water. Hook - Size 20 Partridge SUD Thread - Unithread 8/0 (colour to best match natural) Hackle - Good quality genetic type in grizzle or grey Body - Wapsi super fine synthetic dubbing (colour to best match natural) Tying sequence for this fly is: 1. Start thread just behind the eye, work thread about 1/4 hook of way down shank. 2. Tie in hackle with hackle pointing over the eye, tie down working back towards the eye. Wind hackle working back down hook (having first back-tracked slightly with thread). 3. After about 3 turns of hackle tie down the remainder of the hackle all way to the start of bend and then wind hackle a couple of turns at the rear. 4. You should now have a collar hackle at the front and one at the rear with a clear space between the two. Tie off hackle and cut off the waste. 5. With tying thread resting just in front of the rear hackle add a small amount of dubbing and build up neat body working forwards towards eye. 6. When at the rear side of the front hackle wind un-dubbed thread through the hackle and tie off behind the eye. 7. Cut off all hackles fibres pointing down leaving a 180º hackle so that fly sits in the surface film. Attributes of fly plus notes My number one pattern when imitating any of the aphids An easy style for these small flies and you can see it! Get close to fish and cast accurate You will need fine tippets for best presentation Drag is the enemy!
A.B. Midge (bowtie wing version - updated 2009) Hook Partridge SLD size 16 20 Thread - Unithread 8/0 black Body - Veniard Easy Dub micro chenille (must be this type!), black or grey Wing poly yarn/aero wing (in either white, orange, pink or black) tied bowtie style Thorax - grey CDC (dubbed) Tying sequence for this fly is: 1. Start thread just behind the hook eye and work down the hook. 2. 1/3rd of way down the hook lift in the micro chenille as a detached body (if you like, lightly singe the end to taper it) and secure with thread back to the start point just behind the hook eye (cut off the waste chenille pointing over the eye). 3. Work thread back (just a few turns) until at a point around midway between the hook eye and the tying in point of the detached body. 4. Lift in the poly yarn wing (about 50mm long) and secure across the top of hook bowtie style with figure-of-eight type turns. 5. When secure work thread back to the start of the body, roughly dub thread with bits of grey CDC then wind this either side of the wing. 6. Tie off behind eye 7. Pull out bits of CDC for a leggy effect, cut wing to give two short tufts (about 2mm) Attributes of fly plus notes: The original version of this pattern was devised by Andy Bennet (hence the name A.B.), a good thinking river angler from Sheffield. A perfect generic pattern to represent any one of a thousand midges or small terrestrial insects; just alter the body and dubbing colour to match what you see. Tied short with plenty of hook under the meniscus makes this a great hooker. The wing colour is key to your visibility of this fly, just use the one that contrasts and stands out best with water reflections and surface colour. Developed specially for glides and slow pools The CDC is not there to float the fly but to give the fly an impression of life Very lightly gink the body and wing but avoid the CDC and metal work of the hook at all costs! Use as single fly on a fine tippet, cast accurate and try to get a drag-free drift for best results.
SMC Black Terrestrial Hook - Partridge SUD size 16, 18, 20 Thread - black unithread 8/0 Body/thorax - fine black closed cell form (prepared strip about 50mm long x 2mm sq.) Hackle - black cock Tying sequence for this fly is: 1. Start thread just behind the eye and work down the hook. 2. ½ way down the hook tie in a prepared form strip (see above), with the long end pointing over the bend and on top of the shank. 3. Tie down all the way to the bend, then work thread all way back to the form tying in point (½ way along hook shank). Cut off the waste form pointing towards the hook eye. 4. Pull the form, hanging over the bend, to create a neat rounded abdomen and secure with a couple of turns of thread (do not cut off waste left over after pulling over the form). 5. At this point, tie in the hackle and secure hackle stem (pointing towards hook eye) by lifting closed cell form clear and tying down along the top of the hook shank. 6. Wind hackle forwards, towards the eye and on top of the form. After about two or three turns, once again lift the form clear and tie off the hackle on the hook shank. Cut off the waste hackle and stem. 7. Work thread forward and park about 1mm behind the hook eye. 8. Pull remainder of closed cell form forwards to produce a nice neat thorax area, similar to, but smaller than, the abdomen and tie down with thread. 9. Whip finish at this point and cut off thread. 10. Trim off waste form to leave a small neat head that can be trimmed to shape. 11. Cut off any hackle fibers pointing down, the idea is to leave a 180º hackle so that fly sits in surface film. Attributes of fly plus notes Developed specially for glides and slow pools Represents any type of black terrestrial beetle or ant with a clean obvious profile Just change the size and colours to match what types you see.
Riveted Black Smut Hook Partridge SLD size 18 20 Thread - Unithread 8/0 black Body in two parts: bulbous rear black thread, parallel middle red holograph tinsel Wing grey CDC feathers Tying sequence for this fly is: 1. Start thread in centre of the hook and work down to start of bend. 2. At the bend lift in a short (approx 40mm) length of red holograph. 3. Tie down on top the hook working towards hook eye for about 2mm. 4. Now work the thread back and forwards to produce a small neat bulbous rear body. 5. When this is done lift up the holograph and work thread forwards neatly (no bulk) to about 2mm short of the eye. 6. Wind holograph towards thread and tie off (this gives a thin parallel mid body). 7. Lift in a CDC feather f fly style (either one, two or three feathers as required), do not cut off waste thick ends of CDC when tied in. 8. When CDC tied in lift the wing and pop a turn of thread behind it to slightly cock it (this is very important, the wing should not be laid across the back of fly in the more normal f fly style). 9. Work thread forwards a couple of turns before lifting up the waste ends of CDC and tying off thread behind the eye. 10. Last job is to cut the thick waste ends of CDC to give a bushy head. Attributes of fly plus notes: The smooth bulbous rear body will sink easily through the meniscus leaving the thin parallel body bridging the gap between this and the CDC wing on the dry side of meniscus. In effect riveting the fly into the surface film. This is important as many trapped terrestrials end up like this, as do aquatic insects just before they emerge. Having the fly riveted into the surface film also aids in the constant quest of controlling drag. A generic pattern to represent emerging aquatic midge/smut types and a wide range of small trapped terrestrials. If an orange thread is used (with no holograph) it gives a nice ant pattern. Use as single fly on a fine tippet (6x or finer) Stuart M Crofts 2011
Micro Midge Hook Varivas 2300 Ultra Midge size 30 Thread - Unithread 8/0 black Body Tying thread Outriggers Pearl micro flash (Veniards) Sighter Very fine poly yarn in either white or pink Thorax Mole or shrew Tying sequence for this fly is: 8. Start thread just behind the hook eye and work down the hook. 9. With the thread create a small cigar shaped abdomen at the back ½ of the fly. 10. At the ½ way point lift in a length of micro flash to give outriggers either side of the abdomen. 11. Work thread forwards a couple of turns (approx ½ way between the abdomen and the hook eye) and lift in the poly yarn sighter. 12. Dub thread with a tiny amount of mole or shrew and wind either side of the sighter to make a small thorax area. 13. Tie off behind the eye in your usual way. Attributes of fly plus notes: A true micro midge and a perfect choice when the fish are keyed on to these most tiny of insects The outriggers will ensure that the fly sits perfectly on the surface and it does not land/fish on its side As with all micro patterns these need to be fished at close range on fine tippets If handling and attaching such small flies is a problem on the riverbank then why not attach a short (6 to 8 ) piece of tippet material to the fly while you are home. Now, just keep this on some sort of winder in your fishing jacket pocket until it is required. Then it is just a matter of tying this short tippet, complete with fly, to the end of your leader when needed this is not a new idea, they were using flies to gut when Adam was a lad! Very lightly gink the top part of the fly but avoid the metal work of the hook at all costs! For best results accurate casting and a drag-free drift are essential.