This weeks fly tying step by step I’m tying you a super simple midge emerger pattern. Minimal materials are required for this fly and in terms of hook sizes it’s a fly I’ll tie right down to #24

This fly is an excellent choice when the trout are feeding on midges and gnats. It’s a great fly when targeting the more spooky and wary fish in the river. With only a few materials it’s quick and easy to tie. See below the materials I’m using for this fly.

Hook – Light grub/Buzzer hook size 16

Thread – Semperfli waxed thread black 12/0

Flash – Semperfli flat mirage tinsel

Thorax – Pine squirrel

Wing – 2 CDC plumes

Step 1 – Place your hook in the vice and start off your tying thread, cut away the tag end when secure.

Step 2 – taking your thread part way down the hook, just enough to tie in the small body and thorax. take the thread back towards the eye and select 2 CDC plumes. Marrying them up so the tips are the same.

Step 3 – offer up the cdc to the hook to make the wing, on flies like these I like to make the wing around the same length of the hook. To tie it in I take 2 tight turns then lift the tips up and take 2/3 turns in front of the wing to make it puff up.

Step 4 – like in the other step by steps where I’ve tied in a cdc wing trim the waste pieces away at an angle, this gives the fly a lovely tapered look!

Step 5 – cover over any bits of waste pieces and prepare the flash body material.

Step 6 – to make the body take the flat mirage and wind up toward the eye, making touching turns I usually get around 3/4 make 2 tight turns to lock in place.

Step 7 – take a pinch of pine squirrel, you don’t need lots of this, just to add a tiny little bit of scruffy ness to the fly! Dub it on to your thread and make the thorax. Finishing in front of the CDC.

Step 8 – whip finish and add a dab of varnish or super glue to finish the fly off.

This really is one of the most simple flies you’ll ever tie. Minimal materials and you can whip them up in a couple of minutes! The perfect fly for picky fish! Be sure to tie a few up and like I said above I tie these in sizes down to #24 and up to #18 for the rivers. They have brought me many fish to the net so make sure you tie some up for your river box in anticipation for the coming trout season!