Flies
Disco Midge
Hook: TMC2487 Size 18 to 24
Thread: 8/0 Black
Head: Silverlined crystal, Gun Metal, (or other color)
Abdomen: Pearl or Green Flashabou
(Krystal Flash on smaller Sizes)
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Tying Instructions:
Wrap thread from just behind the hook eye (or bead if one is used) to just above
the barb. This gives a good base for the materials. Tie in 2 to 3 strands of
flashabou about 1/3 back from the hook eye. Wrap flashabou back to just above
the barb and back again. Tie in 2 strands of peacock herl and wrap thorax. Whip
finish. Note: Pearl over black thread looks green when tied—get creative!
San Juan Krystal Wing Emerger
Hook: TMC2487 Size 18 to 24
Head: Glass Bead (14/0)
Abdomen: Red Krystal flash
Thorax: Brown Fine and Dry Dubbing
Wing: Pearl Krystal Flash
Variations: May be tied in all black with pearl wings, a glass beadhead, and may
be tied with or without fine copper wire rib.
Red Hot
Hook: TMC200R Size 18 to 22
Thread: Red 8/0
Abdomen: Red Flashabou
Thorax: Scarlet Glass Bead (14/0)
Note: The one in the picture is tied on a size 22 Hook
RS2
Hook: Tiemco 101, Eagle Claw L059M, Mustad 94840, sizes 16-22
Thread: Gray 8/0
Wing: Gray Dun CDC
Tail: Split Dun Microfibbetts or Muskrat guard hairs
Abdomen: Gray muskrat or beaver
Thorax: Same as Abdomen
Variations: Also good tied in Olive shades for the Western BWO hatches, and
with a tiny glass bead for a head. Very good fly for finicky trout when fished in
the surface film and a good trailer behind a dry fly during hatches.
Beadhead Red Midge Worm
HOOK: Dai-Tiki 135 #16-#18.
BEAD: Small gold bead.
THREAD: Red midge lace.
WING: White Z-lon or pearl Krystal Flash.
Bead-head Zebra Midge
HOOK: Tiemco 101 #20-24.
THREAD: Black 8/0.
RIB: Gold or copper wire.
HEAD: Clear or pearl bead
Tying Instructions
Slide the bead on first, and tie in the rib. Build a tapered body with the thread,
and then wrap the rib forward in spiral turns. Tie the rib off and whip-finish behind
the bead.
Beaded Scud
HOOK: Tiemco or Mustad Scud in 12 to 18
THREAD: Orange Danville 8/0
TAIL: red rabbit guard hair
RIB: fine copper wire
BODY: orange glass needle work beads with orange dubbing
SHELLBACK: Orange scud back or potato bag strips
Size of beads used depends on hook size. Tie these in Pink, Tan and
Olive/Brown also. Great tailwater fly.
Tying Instructions
Before placing hook in vise, thread five orange beads onto hook. Attach thread at
back of last bead. Wind to back of hook and attach red tail or hackle barbules (if
desired). Tie wire and orange scud back/potato bag strip on top of tail. Apply
coarse dubbing to thread and make one to two wraps between each bead and
half hitch at the eye of the hook. Pull scud back forward and make two loose
wraps. Next, wrap the wire forward in between each bead to make the segments.
Tie off, build a thread head, whip finish by hand, cement head. Be sure to pick or
brush the body out to create legs. Note: You can tie these with hackle barbules
for a tail and for antennae if desired. The fly looks nicer, but I haven’t noticed
any difference in effectiveness. You can also use a back made out of wider
flashabou—this does make a difference if the water is swift or murky.
WD-40
HOOK: Tiemco 2487 #22-26.
THREAD: Olive 8/0.
TAIL: Bronze barred mallard flank.
ABDOMEN: Thread wrapped over tail material.
THORAX: Dubbed gray Muskrat.
WINGCASE: Tail material pulled over thorax.
The WD-40 has been adapted and modified by amateur and professional fly tiers across the country, and is
now one of the most popular tailwater micro-patterns in the West. The muskrat abdomen and olive thread
recipe is the original, but some midge species are better imitated with other colors. I've also seen flashback
versions, beaded versions where a glass bead is substituted for the dubbed thorax, and other imitations with
alternate types of dubbing. All these flies catch fish, but Engler maintains the original pattern is still the most
effective. To tie the WD-40, tie in the tail material, but do not trim the butts. Wrap the thread back over the
tail material to about the 50% mark. Dub the thorax, and then pull the mallard feathers over to form a
wingcase, trim the mallard, and whip-finish
Drowned Glasstail Caddis
HOOK: #14-16 Tiemco 106TC.
BEAD: Amber or green glass bead.
THREAD: Tan or olive 6/0.
ABDOMEN: Amber or green glass beads.
TAIL: Amber or green glass beads.
THORAX: Tan dubbing.
WING: Tan swis straw.
ANTENNAE: Wood duck flank feather
Sparkle OJ
HOOK: Size 16-22 Tiemco 2488 or 2487.
BEAD: Scarlet Killer Caddis small or midge.
THREAD: Fl. fire orange 8/0 UTC .
UNDERBODY: Fl. fire orange 8/0 UTC.
BODY: Pearl Krystal Flash.
ABDOMEN: Clear, hollow midge lace or larva lace.
Little Red Rider
HOOK: Tiemco 200R #18-#22.
THREAD: Red 8/0.
BODY: Red Krystal Flash.
HEAD: Midge glass bead in red.
Bead Head Ostrich Pheasant Tail
HOOK: TMC 2487 #18.
BEAD: Small diamond bead.
THREAD: Olive 6/0.
TAIL: Pheasant tail fibers.
RIB: Fine copper wire.
ABDOMEN: Pheasant tail fibers.
THORAX: Olive ostrich herl.
Brushed Bead-body Pupa--Olive
HOOK: TMC 3761, or equivalent wet/nymph hook, #14-16
THREAD: Brown 8/0 for head; green 8/0 for body.
WING: Dark brown Antron yarn, butts covered with small
amount of dark brown dubbing.
HEAD: Brown glass bead fitted snugly
over a brown thread foundation
Glass beads give shimmer and translucence to this caddis pupa pattern. An olive version is shown
here, but bead and thread colors can be varied--orange, tan, even black. This one is a good prospecting
pattern in waters where caddis are abundant.
Beaded Bag Lady
HOOK: Tiemco 2487 #16.
THREAD: Ultrafine mono.
TAIL: Semi-translucent plastic bag.
BODY: Four tiny pearl glass beads.
EYES: Small diameter black rubber
Glass Bead Callibaetis Nymph
HOOK: Tiemco 100 #12-16.
THREAD: Black 6/0.
TAIL: Grouse fibers.
RIB: Fine gold wire.
ABDOMEN: Hares ear dubbing.
THORAX: Pick out dubbing.
COLLAR: Grouse fibers.
Beaded Brassie
HOOK: Tiemco 2487 size 10-22
THREAD: Red or Black 8/0.
HEAD: Red, Green, Black, or Gun Metal Glass Bead
TAIL: None
ABDOMEN: Finely wrapper copper, olive, red, or black wire
THORAX: Wrapped Peacock hurl