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CGull

Zebra Midge

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Well, this is like the 4th fly tie. I cant even see what im doing as i go along. I take pictures after each step and look at them on the phone camera to make sure im in the area. I cant even imagine trying to get a leader into this??

Any inputs, suggestions about anything even remotely associated will be greatly appreciated.

post-58889-0-75720100-1461038391_thumb.jpeg

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Personally I wouldn't want it any fatter than you have it already. Id tie a couple like that and then a couple half as fat and a couple almost naked with just very light thread wraps.

You have made a good job of the rib.

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FWIW, with almost all my tying these days I use both reading glasses and a magnifier light. When I tie a midge it looks about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch big ! I think one of those big skin doctor magnifiers would be awesome ! It takes a little getting used to having that device between you and the tying vise, as well as a slight hand coordination adjustment but in time I got used to it. Some guys can't stand it though. Once upon a time I used no glasses for tying, that was short lived . For nearly two decades I was able to use drug store glasses one power up from my regular reading glasses and can still get by with that if I had to, I keep a pair in my tying box in case I leave home without something or other..

 

Your midge looks fine. They are a slender bug though, you're not building a caddis emerger ( your thought about building it up more) so keep them on the thin side. Something I have done on these for myself, don't think the fish care, is put a slight collar of peacock herl , maybe just one or two turns of a single strand right behind the bead. Completely optional.

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Thanks guys. I know for sure i need two things, a good light source and some magnification that sits on my head or something. Right now im working on a limited budget. I seem to have way to many priorities. Im still building up my material stock, buying already tied flys yntil i get my own stock tied. Here in Texas its not a big fly fishing state. I have to make trips up to Oklahoma and Arkansas.

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Iim thinking i want to try some other colors too and the some with colors and some with that nymph plastic stuff around it. I dont know what its called but you have to cure it with a UV light.

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None of us acquired everything at once CG ! I still haven't used UV resins, might never. I do tie some midges and other nymphs with goose biots though, then sometimes cover that with pearl flash or even pearl nail polish.

 

Watch some Davie McPhail videos, he will get your imagination going some more !! McPhail is one of the best instructional tyers on the planet, IMO.

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I wouldn't bother with the uv resin for these type of flies. Here in UK the superglue buzzer is very popular. Simply thread body, rib and a very very slight increase in head size and then coat in superglue.

I use nail varnish to coat mine.

UV resin for these type of flies is like using nail gun to put balsa wood together.

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Looks good to me.

Variations would be one with a small collar of peacock, one with two biots for wings, one with big fangs and rabbit ears with a prehensile tail and ... oops, I just finished watching a monster movie ... never mind.

 

 

Back to the nymph ... it looks good, CGull.

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How big is that thing? #16?

 

Last weekend I was fishing patterns that this one must have been eating to get so fat & healthy!

 

Looks good and will catch fish, man. Keep 'em coming.

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i too wouldnt worry about uv resins

 

get some head cement, crazy glue or sally hansens hard as nails finger nail polish. coat the whole fly and go fishing

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Yep. I tied some each way recently.

 

UV resin builds up and really subdues the ribbing effect. SHAN soaks in, welds everything together, and makes the rib and the body pop. Definitely the way to go.

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I make the body on my Zebras on the thin side. But if you prefer to tie them thicker go for it. The fly pictured will catch fish. Nice job.

 

On a side note, don't forget about the fly rod because your in Texas. Here in Indiana smallmouth are a blast on a fly rod.

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