Black Fly Larvae

[Kikker 0]

Can anyone on the forum please provide me with a picture, materials and tying instructions for the Black Fly Larvae that is customarily used on the S. Holston River in Tennessee?

I would certainly appreciate any assistance that i can get.

 

Tight lines,

Kikker

[Philly 0]

Can't help you with the Holston river pattern but the actually larvae are shaped like a baseball bat with gills at the handle end. This site has illustrations of all three stages.

 

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2167.html

 

I'm not sure how important the actual larvae is to a trout's diet as they attach themselves to rocks or debris.

The emerger/adult might be the key.

Google "Wissahickon Midge" It's a pattern I came up with that's been very effective in the Northeast and southern Ontario where I've fished and black flies are present.

 

 

 

 

[flyline64 0]

My understanding is that in the Northeast streams that have black flies (including the Adirondack streams in NY), the black fly larvae will catch mostly trout fry and baitfish.

 

If anyone has caught good sized trout on black fly larvae, I'd be very interested to hear about it.

 

 

[Sal Velinus 0]

If the larva/pupa are present in any numbers and are found commonly in the drift (like midges are) I would suppose that even bigger trout eat a lot of them (like midges).

 

I would just use midge larva/pupa imitations, I'm big on biot pupa/larva. If you want to tie a specific black fly larva/pupa, then rock on beavis!! You're a fly tier and should do whatever floats your boat, including looking at pics, watching them in the water, and coming up with your own pattern. Now that I think about it that's what I'd do.

[Guest]

From what I recall it's just a thread body with a hump for the head. Somehow 22-24 comes to mind

[flytire 0]

try asking the nice folks on this forum from the south

 

http://www.southeastflyfishingforum.com/forum/

[rockworm 0]

I would capture some living larvae (and pupae, if possible) from the S Holston and tye a wet fly to match the size, colour and shape of the natural. Post a few pictures and we'd be happy to help design your fly.

[Randy77 0]

Go here and you can see a picture of one tied locally.

 

FAr right column, second and third fly down.

 

http://www.flyshopoftn.com/exclusiveflies.html#

 

[Kikker 0]

Randy 77,

 

Thanks for the information. That is the little monster I have been looking for :yahoo: .

 

Thanks for your time and the web sight. I will pass this information to buddies so they can tie some up for our trip to the S.H. in April.

 

Where do you reside? There is no information in your profile.

 

Thanks again,

Kikker

[flyman 0]

The shape is a little different form most midge larva. The larva is smaller at the head and larger towards the bottom. I tie the larva just about like the ones in the link Randy77 posted. I also tie a pupa/emerger version with flashabo wings and a clear glass bead. Both are good flies when trout are keying in on them on the SOHO, and they do particular in the winter and early spring

 

[Grunt 0]

On page 94 of Schollmeyer and Leeson's Trout Flys Of The East is a nice little Blackfly Larva pattern. It has a little different element, a tag of 8-10 wraps of fine silver wire starting at the middle of the hook bend and assending into the body. The body then tapers down into a slim thorax and thread head with a little tuft of white cdc right behind the hook eye.