Gill material for chrionomids

[FishDragon 0]

Hi fly tiers.

 

I am just starting to tie some midge patterns and I was wondering what to use as gills or what works real well.

 

I have glass beads but the hooks I am using (Dai Ichi 1150) make it hard to get the beads on. I also have antron and dental floss but I was thinking would using white ostrich herl be a viable alternative to the white glass beads or white beads in general.

 

I have been tying buzzers and just started tying the flashabou midge larva (red) and that pattern calls for peacock hurl for the thorax and I was thinking of maybe adding in a piece of white ostrich hurl for gills on a pupae pattern.

 

All advice welcome. I am using Modern Midges for my patterns and ideas for patterns.

 

Thanks

FishDragon

[utyer 0]

I have used many things, ostrich should work, as will antron. The white fluff from the bottom of a hackle will aslo work, as will any white fluff. Micro (midge flash,) will work. One popular midge pattern, uses clipped light deer or elk hair.

[notenuftoys 0]

Modern Midges is a great book. I've tied a lot of patterns from it.

 

I've used white Antron and sometimes Sparkle Emerger Yarn (from Hareline). Very little is needed, especially on #20 & #22 hooks. I tie in the gill with minimum thread wraps, whip finish and cut the thread, slide the bead over the gill to the hook eye, and start the thread behind the bead. You just have to watch the amount of material and number of thread wraps.

[Hairstacker 0]

Another very popular, very easy to use choice is white Polypropylene (otherwise known as Poly Pro) Yarn. A skein of it is less than $2 at many online fly tying suppliers and will give you a lifetime's supply.

 

-- Mike

[flytire 0]

zlon, darlon, poly yarn, ostrich herl, whatever will work

 

tunkwanamid uses herl

 

[Chris Patterson 0]

A lot of patterns out there call for Oral-B ultra floss. I had a hard time finding it but it does seem to have a nice fluffy texture.

[snowranch 0]

Mid gills are one of those items when "less is more."

[rich5665 0]

I've used the polyester stuffing found in craft stores works well. But it's cheaper to just go and buy a cheap dog toy and cut it open and use the stuffing from there. Of coarse my dog is all that happy when I do that.

[ikerajala 0]

I have used many things, ostrich should work, as will antron. The white fluff from the bottom of a hackle will aslo work, as will any white fluff. Micro (midge flash,) will work. One popular midge pattern, uses clipped light deer or elk hair.

 

 

serendipity?

[utyer 0]

Yes, Serendipity.

[rich5665 0]

Yes, Serendipity.

 

Tied a couple up on Thursday. Nice and simple little fly.