Midges

[fishinwrench]

I'm surprised that nobody is using the new(ish) colored Ultra Wire to make miniature "brassies".  

You could even two-tone them.   No need for a bead.

[tjm]

Is a bead required on a midge pattern? I didn't use them when I fished "small chironomids"  often, many years ago.  With a hard body,  the weight of hook and rib always sank them,  the beads look out of proportion to me, and must make them head heavy. My chironomids were mostly red with gold wire or black with silver wire, although I had a few in green, orange and cream; always on #18-20 and always with "gills",  but that was still water in a far away place.

For some reason I always think bobber when I see a bead head.

[Flysmallie]

I like bead heads. They look clean and nice. Just have to make sure you use the correct size. 

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, tjm said:

For some reason I always think bobber when I see a bead head.

I think bobber when I see a Midge pattern.    Probably because the only time I use midges is when I'm fishing slow slick water.   Dry/dropper is not my style, I like to be able to mend my bobber and dry flys get all pissy when you do that.

[snagged in outlet 3]

8 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

I think bobber when I see a Midge pattern.    Probably because the only time I use midges is when I'm fishing slow slick water.   Dry/dropper is not my style, I like to be able to mend my bobber and dry flys get all pissy when you do that.

Me too.  Except I like them in fast broken water too.

[tjm]

I always fished those chironomids on floating line in still water and bobbers weren't needed but they weren't beaded.  I guess I'm wondering if the bead is what makes it a "midge" pattern?

[fishinwrench]

To me, real Midge looks more like this 

I fish these in the film with no bobber, and just set the hook anytime a fish makes a disturbance anywhere near where I think it might be.

Not among my favorite ways to catch trout, but on slick water during those cold clear days of late Winter that's often the only way to keep from getting skunked.

[tjm]

I could fish that, wrench. when I searched the two patterns you named both came up with bead heads. The flies I used to fish a lot looked similar to the one on your finger with out the "tail", I often carried the floss halfway round the bend. In March they might be #22-24,

[fishinwrench]

Yeah typical "Midge fishing" in these parts is bead head thread midges under a bobber, and it definitely works.  But the real deal is way more finessey.    (22-32 hooks on 8x)

I was into that for a few years....but thankfully I got over it. Georgia brookies pretty much demand it.