dry
Olsen's CDC Midge
A black Crystal Flash–bodied midge with CDC wing, pink CDC hot spot, and grizzly hackle. A specialist pattern for long-leader tailwater work.
Originated by Devin Olsen (presented by Gilbert Rowley in this book)
Recipe
- HookDohiku 301 — size 20 · Dohiku
- ThreadVeevus 16/0 — Black · Semperfli
- TailCrystal Flash — Black (shuck/tail)
- BodyCrystal Flash — Black · Hedron
- WingCDC — White or Khaki
- HotspotCDC — Pink
- HackleGrizzly Hackle
History
A few years ago Gilbert Rowley watched Devin Olsen catch trout on one of the most pressured tailwaters in the West — fish that leave most anglers scratching their heads. Long smooth glides, no broken water, easy to spot from the hiking trail and fished to non-stop. Devin was casting a dry-fly leader over 20' long with nearly flawless presentation, but when Rowley asked what fly, Devin showed him this CDC midge. Rowley has fished it on technical waters since and says it continues to produce — when it wasn't included in Devin's own section of the book, Rowley added it to his.
Fishing tips
Fish it on a 20'+ dry-fly leader. Presentation matters more than tippet size.