Olive Sparkle Body Midge
By Elaine Cook
Olive Sparkle Body Midge
By Elaine Cook
This is turning out to be a winner both for trout and bass. Trying a particular pattern in a variety of types of water and fishing it with different techniques can prove very fruitful. Suspending this fly four to nine feet under an indicator in Lake McAlpine this winter worked time and time again. Using it as a dropper under a dry fly in a pond and retrieving it slowly was enticing to largemouth bass as well. It will go to the Pyramid Lake fishout to be tested there, too.
| Hook: | Curved shrimp/caddis pupa, TDE size 8 to 16 |
| Tiemco TMC 2487, lighter wire for small to medium trout (size 16 used above) | |
| Tiemco TMC 2457, heavier wire for larger trout and largemouth bass | |
| Bead: | Gold, size appropriate to hook |
| Thread: | Brown 6/0 or 8/0 (70 denier) |
| Rib: | Medium copper wire |
| Underbody: | (size 8-10 only) small vinyl ribbing |
| Body: | Spirit River Midge Body, olive |
| Collar: | Peacock herl |
1. Crimp barb.
2. Slip bead on hook, smaller hole first.
3. Start thread behind bead using 10-20 wraps to hold bead in place.
4. Attach ribbing wire to top of shank, extending to rear. Lash down with thread nearly halfway around bend (diagram #1).
5. Body is constructed differently depending on hook size:
A. Hook size 16:
* Tie in body material at rear-most thread wraps. Bring thread forward to rear of bead.
* Wrap a three-layer body: forward in close touching wraps to bead, back in close touching wraps to starting point, then forward again to bead. Tie off and cut excess.
B. Hook size 12-14:
* Form underbody with ribbing wire. Wrap forward in close touching wraps to two eye lengths behind bead, then back to starting point, in close touching wraps, and tie down at rear.
* Bring thread forward to bead. Tie in body material behind bead and form a two layer body by wrapping to the rear in close touching wraps then forward in close touching wraps to the bead, tie off and cut excess.
C. Hook size 8-10:
* Attach the vinyl underbody in the same way the copper wire ribbing was tied in.
* Bring thread forward to two eye lengths behind bead. Wrap underbody material forward in close touching wraps to one eye length behind the bead, tie off and cut excess.
* Tie in body material behind bead and form a two layer body by wrapping to the rear in close touching wraps then forward in close touching wraps to the bead, tie off and cut excess.
6.Spiral copper wire forward in 5-6 turns. Finish with several wraps tight behind bead, then bend wire sharply back and forth until it breaks.
7. Apply a coating of Zap-a-Gap or similar material to entire body and let dry.
8. Cut off butt of peacock herl, tie in behind bead and then form a dubbing loop with the tying thread. Spiral herl around one side of the dubbing loop, then twist the loop and herl tight to make a peacock herl chenille. Wrap a collar with several turns of the chenille, tie off and cut excess.
9. Whip finish behind bead (see diagram #2).
Each of you club members is welcome and encouraged to submit your favorite fly for publication here. Please include a picture with your words of wisdom about why it's your favorite, how to tie it and how to fish it.