Imitative Tying Challenge - Match the Midge

[UC Steve]

Ray, thanks for the challenge, which for me is tying anything smaller than a #16.

[Tom Smithwick]

Apologies for the truly bad photo. Something like this is what I use. It's a size 20 hook, one pheasant tail fiber selected for color, and furnace like hackle. I have long been convinced that on tiny flies, the fish primarily focus on the body. If you start adding stuff like wings and tails, you probably made a less effective fly. At one time I got to fish a very prolific trico hatch on PA's Little Lehigh. It went on from July to October, and was heavily fished by experienced anglers. The first week or two, the fish would take the typical poly wing spinner, after that they would not even look at it. We ended up with a slim fur body with a tuft of grey CDC for a wing, despite the fact that the naturals had prominent spent wings, and obvious long tails. I suspect it's the same thing with midges.
A golden pheasant fiber makes a nice body for this fly, as does dyed pheasant in olive or black. If you are fishing tricos, BTW, and your dry fly is being ignored, the fly depicted above is worth a try.