Just curious how many people know this pattern and if anyone has had experiences (good or bad). FWIW, I did a short write-up of it with an SBS video for anyone interested. It’s a good little pattern to have in the arsenal, regardless.
I tie it and the Yong flash and have had excellent results with them on the San Juan River below Navajo Dam. I tie them in summer brown, cream and olive.
Curtis,
I’ve had some luck with them on tailwaters; zebras are my go-to fly, but the YS is a good choice, too. Nice tie.
Regards,
Scott
Nice little video, I would have been wrapping copper wire had I not watched it.
Have had excellent success with them in the small streams of northern New Mexico.
Joe
Haven’t tried shining up the head, will do that for some.
Jesse,
Nothing wrong with a Brassie 
Regards,
Scott
That reminds me of the Burlap Caddis. It just needs some legs. I ty the Burlaps in #14-20 and add either a thin collar of black spiky dub or a sparse beard that barely reachs the hook point.
Tight Lines,
Wade
I tied some up for a trip to the San Juan and did not catch a fish on one. I have used them elsewhere without success. Must just be me… BTW Curtis, your tying vid as well as your entire site really rocks! Everyone should go take a look at it.
Hi Kelly, What size did you tie ? I know on the San Juan only sizes 24 and 26 worked. Paddy
I have tried them in our Oklahoma tail waters without success, But I probably did not tie them small enough. I tied them on 2x short size 18 hooks. WE have great success with white miracle nymphs in that size both in Arkansas and Oklahoma even when the midges hatching are brown and much much smaller. We also have lots of cream midges that hatch on our tailwaters
While that looks like copper wire in the photo, this one was tied correctly, with twisted Coats and Clark summer brown thread (#52 if memory serves). Nice rendition of a very useful midge imitation.
I have been using a variation of that pattern, which was tied by Jude Duran, using Guebrod rod wrapping thread and different type of Flashabou over black thread…they work very well in Eastern Sierra tail waters…
[
](http://s305.photobucket.com/user/planettrout/media/PACIFIC KING/jd-thread-midges-1_zpsa7116270.jpg.html)
Here are two other products I have been playing with. for Midge abdomens, in the same vein:
https://www.intheriffle.com/store/images/D/veevus-iridescent-thread-fly-tying.jpg
Try some of this, over black thread. for flash…
http://www.bearlodgeangler.com/flash-materials/micro-pearl-flashabou-1/100/
I tie and fish a “Bling Baetis” in sizes 22 and 24 (pictured). It is a knock off/variation of the Yong Special.
Just put a tail on a midge and you have a baetis?
Pretty much.
I fished the San Juan and have found the Yong Special to be the most consistent midge imitation for those picky fish. I?ve tied them with tan and olive Gudebrod Size A Rod Wrapping Thread as well as the summer brown C&C. I have also used UTC 210 Denier (#22 and #24 sizes), UTC 140 Denier (#26 sizes) and Madeira thread for my Yong Specials. I?ve had good results with all of these in black, grey and olive. Size is very important.
What is equally important with fishing the Yong Special is the rig. Andy Kim?s rigging:
- 7 1/2? leader tapered to 5X.
- Attach a 12? 6X tippet to the 5X and attach the first fly to the end of the 6X.
- Then attach another 12? 6X tippet to the eye of the first fly and attach a second fly to the
end of the 2nd 6X tippet. - Place the weight (#8 or #6 Split Shot) at the junction of the 5X and 6X.
- Use a yarn indicator (Macrame) and attach it to the leader via a Slip Knot
(don’t forget to apply floatant to the yarn). - Set the indicator, weight to indicator, 1.5 times the depth of where the fish are.
Example: if the target fish is in 2? deep water then set the weight to the indicator at 3?.
Hope this helps.
Vinny
Thank you, Curtis! That’s a nifty SBS!
How 'bout that?? A fly I can tye!!! 
I started tying these over a dozen years ago to fish on the San Juan, then found they worked just as well on my home tailwater, the Guadalupe River in Texas. In fact, I had a guide buddy of mine who swore by them in Summer Brown or Cream for picky Guad trout. I now have a whole rack of Coats and Clark thread in different shades to tie the Yong Special and the midges originated by Don Holbrook and Ed Koch in their book, Midge Magic. Nice tie and vid, BTW.