Annie's Midge Emerger

Annie's midge is named after my 7 year old daughter, she is my flyfishing and fly tying buddy. Anyone that has not experienced tying with a seven year old in their lap is missing one of the true joys of fly tying and parenthood. When she is not helping me tie, she is using the scrap material and creating art work for my tying area.

This fly was the only productive fly in my box on a recent trip to the Little Red River. My dad and I were fishing below the dam, a part of the river that Duane Hadda describes as a place where large fish are caught but because of fishing pressure, the fish have seen everything and are difficult to catch.

After trying just about everything in my box, I tied on this fly and caught several nice rainbows.

TYING INSTRUCTIONS

HOOK: Mustad 94840 #18
TAIL: Antron Fibers
BODY: Stripped Peacock Herl
HACKLE: Black Ostrich Herl
HEAD: Seed Pearl Bead
THREAD: 8-0 Black

1. Place hook in vice.
2. Tie in a piece of 6x tippet material and extend the tag end beyond the eye of the hook about 1". Thread the bead head through the tippet, fold the tippet back toward the bend of the hook and tie it down directly behind the bead (I have tried several methods of attaching the bead and this seems to be the most durable). This allows the use of a smaller bead as well as allows the bead to ride above the hook shank, almost parachute style.
3. Wrap the thread back to the bend of the hook and tie in the emerger shuck.
4. Tie in a stipped peacock herl (the best way that I have found to strip the herl is with a white plastic eraser). I genearlly soak the peacock herl for 5 to 10 minutes in warm water before tying them in.
5. Advance the thread to the bead and wrap the stripped herl forward to the bead. Tie down the herl.
6. Tie in the ostrich herl directly behind the bead and using a hackle method, wrap several turns behind the bead.
7. Whip finish. The stripped peacock herl can be coated with head cement for more durability.