While trout fishing a local river here this past weekend with a friend of mine from Nashville we discovered very active feeding fish, but, cannot come up with a pattern to tie to mimic the food source. I do not know what the proper name is for the insect. My friend said that the food source is the larva stage of the black fly. He has a guide friend who had told him that he had pumped the stomach of a couple fish and they were full of this little larva.
When you pick up a rock from the bottom of the river it will be completely covered with this food source. They are about 1/8th to 1/4th inches long. They look like real small black worms just wiggling on the outside of the rock. They are attached to the rocks at one end with the other end floating freely in the current.
I know this is a poor description, but, I would appreciate any information anyone can give me on what they are, what they become and a fly pattern. One of the rocks I looked at must of had 200 of them attached to it! The trout fed on these all day long. I think the canoe activity in the river would loosen these little critters from their rocks and as they floated down the river, the trout just had a feast.
Warren,
If they are black fly larva, and I have no idea if they are or not, you might want to try La Fontaine’s Black Fly Larva. You may have to change the colors if it’s not exactly what you see. It’s also a pretty good all around nymph.
Hook: 2X heavy nymph hook
Weight: Fine lead wire
Rear Body: Dark olive floss over the back half
Front Body: Dark gray dubbing over the front half
Head: Black ostrich herl or marabou
He recommended coloring the last couple of inches of the tippet above the fly white with a marker because the larva uses a silken “web” to hold onto the rocks.
Thanks for the replies – I feel pretty confident that they are a midge larva of some sort. The ones on the rocks would be a size 22 or 24!! I will continue to research this. I am thinking maybe a brassie made from black copper wire. I know that I will find something because the trout really liked them! Thanks everyone.
Why not just a black thread body on a 22 to #24 hook with a white thread rib or a silver wire rib ala Zebra Midge. Also a Yong special in black would probably work. Takes would probably depend on presentation anyway!
Good luck
I googled up the Yong Special and I think that pattern will work!! I might tie it on a scud hook so it will have the curve. Thanks so much for the pattern. Thanks to all.
Here’s a thread midge pupa pattern that I know some people have had great success with (my Dad’s friend caught 27 fish in one day on the one fly I had given him; I now have to tie him a bunch more!)
These are best tied on curved grub, or scud hooks, sized to suit.
Tail: white fibers
Body: black (tying thread)
rib : fine silver wire
thorax: red floss
head: peacock hurl
breathing filaments: white fibers
The “breathing filaments” are just white fibers sticking up through the peacock hurl head, and the thorax is just a wrap or two of the red floss between the body and the head. The body is tied “around the bend” so the whole thing should sort of look a bit curled up.
Below is a link to an image that has the above pattern at the top. The other 3 are just variations on the shape theme (with the 2nd just being a pheasant tail nymph tied on a curved hook). The latter two I was using seal fur for a dubbed thorax to produce a leggy look.
Warrenp, check out the thread about micro caddis that I posted. Jeff put some very nice ties on there. For a black fly larvae, I usually use a slim, olive hares ear. In the spring, the fish gorge on them.
Hi Jeff,
Not so far. I wasn’t able to get out this weekend, due to the god-awful heat and humidity. The two previous times I was out and ready to attack, and of course, hardly any caddis or even any surface activity. We’ve been having a weird summer, with quite a few heavier storms, so I think the fish and bugs are kind of confused. I’m hoping, by the middle/end of August, we’ll have our caddis blitz, which brings tons of egg layers out. Maybe this coming weekend will be a bit more “usual”. I hope to be able to give a report soon, before the little guys are done.
Isn’t that always the way! Whenever I think I know what I have to bring next time, “next time” ends up requiring what I had last time rather than this time. Why can’t next time be this time somtimes, even if this time isn’t always like last time most times?!?
Anyway, let us know how things go when you get the chance to test out stuff.
These should help you out. If you look very close at the insect you will probably notice that it is actually segmented with two colors one being a dark oilve…may appear black. Use DMC thread (Embroidy thread) available at fabric shops and Wal-mart sewing section. Comes in numerous colors. This is usually 5 or 6 strands wrapped into one. Cut a piece of thread off and select out one small strand of each color.
Separate out a single splice of the DMC embroidery thread for each color.
Tie in both pieces of DMC thread at the eye and cover wrap with your black tying thread down to the hook barb.
Wrap black tying thread back up to the hook eye and let it hang.
Take both strands of DMC thread and wrap simultaneously up to the hook eye. If done properly the threads should have a segmented color separation between wraps. Be careful not to over lap your wraps.
Tie off DMC thread and create a head with the black tying thread.
Whip finish and coat the thread only with head cement.
This was pattern was inspired by Don Holbrook and Ed Koch book Midge Magic.
You have “hit the nail on the head!” That is the larva we have here on the Elk River and I have printed the picture of the fly and the pattern and will tie up several. I really appreciate you sending that info. I did try a very sparse dubbed black body with 2 wraps of ostrich just behind the hook, all in black, and managed to catch a few with it over the weekend. These were tied on a #18 scud hook. I have the embroidery thread and will tie up the pattern you sent and try them.
