Tying and fishing with fly patterns smaller than size 18 have been, for me, a test in faith. As one explores fly fishing, you see the tendencies toward small offerings and the implied suggestion that it is a must to have such flies for gin clear waters and finicky fish.
Well, I have donned the goggles once again to tie up these miniatures of temptation. They are thankfully simple creations of a single strand flash or thread for the abdomen and a small dubbed thorax, finished with a minimal thread head. The faith comes from believing they will see the fly in anything but gin clear water and that the hook can be set into the jaw of a fish and remain there through the struggle against thin tippets and my exuberance.
Three smallish Midge patterns, Size 18, 20 & 22. I usually fish these as droppers or as a straight offering on fine tippets and a supple rod tip. These smallish hooks get even much smaller, which seem more suitable for hooking fish in your home aquarium to me.
Here, I combined my enjoyment of Macro Photography, artsy composition and an effort to show you the scale of the flies to a common object…a beer bottle cap, a spool of thread and scissors. Micro tying & Macro Photography & maybe hungry trout. Double click image.
As I always tell my sceptical clients when tying on a tiny brassie or similar “Bear in mind that even elephants eat peanuts”
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Excellent!
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when my oldest was young and skeptical regarding the efficacy of a fly’s “killing” powers, i tied a tuft of schnauzer hair to a size 32 hook (debarbed, of course) and proceeded to decimate ( yes, that’s correct..1 of every 10) minnows, darters and bluegills in his tank.
aquaria provide a dynamic and productive venue for snow-bound anglers. imagine…you can use that pen rod that’s in the closet just like a miniature tenkara rod.
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Ha!!!! I can just picture it…
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The look like ants swarming the Cerveza! They’re pretty little things too. Great photo idea and nicely executed too! 🙂
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Thank you George.
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BTW, your gravatar photo is wonderful.
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Ah yes, the squint. My wife manages to pose me looking into the blazing sun, sans glasses! Thank you.
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Why doubt that they will get fish to bite? As you said the real challenge is to land a fish that being the problem that I have had too!
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Yes indeed.
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