Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015 - 9

Tying the
Parachute
Midge Emerger
by Carl Haensel

photos by the author

1

Thinking about heading fly fishing for trout this winter? Midges are some of the
most prolific insects around in the winter months. While wintertime cold weather
keeps most trout stream insects underwater, some midges can be active in air
temperatures as low as 20 below zero. While it may be too cold to fish for some
anglers, it's almost always warm enough for midges. Anglers will find midges active
in stream reaches that stay open, have plentiful spring flow and consistent winter
temperatures. Look for midge larva on rocks, sticks and other stream bottom
materials. Midge pupae will emerge into adult midges and float on the surface of
the water, often leading to some of the best surface fishing of the winter. Midge
emerger patterns can often catch more fish than adult patterns, especially when a
hatch is sputtering along and struggling to get going. If you see fish that are feeding
on the surface, but you do not see any adult midges in the air or on the snow, the
trout are likely feeding on midge emergers. Make sure to fish the pattern in the
surface film, and dress the fly with floatant accordingly. If you can't see your fly, try
fishing it as a trailer behind a larger dry fly like an Elk Hair Caddis. Alternatively,
try watching for a rise to set the hook instead of looking for the fly. Don't forget to
carry some midge larva and dry fly patterns as well to round out your fly selection.

Parachute Midge Emerger Materials

Hook: Light wire curved nymph hook in sizes 16-20
Thread: 8/0 black fly tying thread
Body: Dark gray fine dubbing
Rib: Fine copper wire
Wing Post: Antron, Z-lon or other similar synthetic or foam
Tail: Antron, Z-lon or other similar synthetic
Hackle: Appropriately sized grizzly neck hackle
Glue: Head cement

1 Place the hook in the vise, and secure the thread in the midsection of the hook.
2 Tie in a small synthetic tail. Trim it, so it only extends a small amount past the hook

shank. Tie in a short piece of copper wire facing rearward and allow it to hang.
3 Wrap the thread forward, and tie on your post. Wrap the post six times after
tying it in to give it stability and a base for the hackle to rest on. Leave it longer
than it should be when the fly is finished, so you can work better with the hackle.
Alternatively, a small white foam post can be used to help the fly float. Tie on your
hackle facing forward, so it is out of the way for the next step.
4 Wrap the thread to the shank of the hook. Add a small amount of dubbing to the
thread. Wrap the dubbing forward to the eye of the hook and back to the post.
Then, wrap the copper wire over it to the post and secure it.
5 Wrap the hackle feather around the post until you have a sufficient parachute wing.
Wrap the thread through the hackle to secure it thoroughly. Trim the excess post
to the desired length, and trim any errant feathers. Finish the fly by lightly head
cementing it; avoid getting any cement on the hackle.
PFBC website: www.fishandboat.com

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2015

9
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2015

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