Midges

[dgames]

I cheat and generally start with a black turning red, about 1/3 blk and 2/3rds red.

Is that with silver wire? Do you fish the lower Illinois with this or mainly tanycomo?

[OKFlyFisher44]

My go to is yellow thread covered with crystal flash with copper bead. I mainly use size 16 on 2499spbl hooks. Coat the flash with zap a gap so it doesn't fall apart on the first fish.

OK44-why don't you like fishing midges?

Nothing wrong with fishing them. They are a good pattern and are a staple when it comes to tailwaters. I just am burnt out on the same ol' "nymph" grind that so many people settle into on tailwaters. Scuds, midges, etc. Not trying to be a stuck up fly fisherman by any means, I will chuck the bobber without hesitation if thats what is gonna need to be done to catch fish. The last couple of years I have kinda drifted towards fishing streamers more and instead of a bobber I have went to a dry/dropper rig. Especially in middle/late summer when you can tie on a big fat foam hopper, beetle, or other terrestrial fly to use as an indicator. Thats just me though.

[dgames]

I'm with you on the dry dropper rig. The only time I use a bobber is when my nymph is too heavy for the dry or the water too fast and broken to easily see the dry. At the LI, I almost exclusively use a stimulator/dropper rig.

[joshuapaul]

I've found that a size 10-12 stimulator greased up with Bug-Flote is surprisingly buoyant! I will say, the luxury of an indicator is that you can change the depth of your nymphs on every cast until you find the perfect depth. That is a little more time consuming when using a dry/dropper.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't always rib mine, but when I do its either silver wire or black thread. I think the bi color will work anywhere because it's a stage. Aside from that its the usual herl collar and smallest bead.

I haven't fished the Illinois in quite a few years. My friends parents owned the first farm below the dam on the west side. We fished it when they first started stocking it. It was good deer and duck hunting also.