midge
Thread Midge
- Sizes
- #18
- Imitates
- midge larvae · Chironomid larvae
- Origin
- Tailwater guides, various
The Thread Midge is the simplest larval midge imitation: a thread body with optional wire rib and a tiny bead. It imitates the slender, worm-like midge larvae that make up the bulk of a trout's winter diet on tailwaters and spring creeks. Tied in sizes #20-26, it tests both the tyer's skill and the angler's patience, but the results speak for themselves.
Recipe
Workbench
Variants
Swipe to see In box and Add
| Size | Bead | Body | In box | Add to box |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #18 | glass · Glass bead | Black | — | — |
At the vise
Slide a micro bead onto the hook, wrap a smooth thread body, and optionally rib with fine wire. Minimalism at its finest.
Tying video
Fishing now on
Rivers whose hatch chart names this pattern this month. Names and sizes only.
- Lee''s Ferry#20-24
On the water
Fish the Thread Midge as a dropper behind a slightly larger fly in a two-nymph rig. On tailwaters, suspend it under a small dry fly or indicator, dead drifting through slow runs and eddies. Trout eat midges year-round, but this pattern is most valuable in winter.
History
Thread midge patterns evolved from the practical necessity of imitating insects as small as 2-3mm long. Tailwater anglers on the South Platte, San Juan, and Bighorn rivers refined the design to its absolute essence: thread, wire, and a bead.