Midge Set-up

[zenherper]

I'm planning on hitting the water tomorrow for the first time. I plan to use a simple midge set up. I don't know a lot, so any suggestions are appreciated. Here is what I have planned unless you change my mind. A 4 wt. 7.5' set up. 9 ft knotless tapered leader with about 4 ft of 3.5 lb tippet added, and tie a midge on the end. From there, I guess I'll just throw the line up stream and practice drifting, casting, etc... Now, let me have it. What should I change, add, etc...? (split shot, indicator?) Ahh So...Much...To...Learn.....So...Little...Time.

Remember people, this will be my first time out, so I would like to keep it fairly simple while giving myself at least a shot at catching a fish.

 

[gfen]

I've been fishing an al's rat in the film on the end of 6x tippet. About 18" to 2' above that, I have a yarn indicator. Fish it through likely spots or 1' or so above fish splashing at the surface.

Take some Griffith's Gnats and small BWO flies, if the midge thing doesn't work but they're at the surface hitting something, try a change of fly.

If I didn't know where I was going and what I could do, I'd probably forgo the sz20 rat for a 16 or 18 hare's ear.

I'd also probably use a bushy Usual fly in lieu of the yarn indicator, because hope springs eternal, but if you're new, keep it simple. Stick to the indicator, less snags'll happen with one fly versus two.

Good luck, remember even tiny barbs are a PITA to pull out of fish lips.

 

[ryguyfi]

Where are you fishing? And is your midge a dry or a nymph? This may help in people answering your question.

 

[David]

I would say a 13' leader / tippet may be a little difficult to control. Cut the tippet back to 18-24" to start. You can adjust from there. Esp. with light midges, 4' of tippet won't turn over as you'd likely intend them too...esp if there is a bit of a breeze.

 

[zenherper]

Thank you guys. I'll be fishing the Tully in Berks. It's a moderately moving stream. I have mostly size 16 - 18 nymphs/midges, hare's ear, etc, but I also have some dry stuff available, like Adams and March Brown. If I use those in place of an indicator, How do I tie the nymph off of the dry?

So, I'll trim my tippet back to about 24"??? Sounds good. How deep should I work the nymph?

 

[jayL]

If you're using zebra midges on the tully, just work them near the bottom. You will catch fish.

 

[zenherper]

Thanks Jay. Do you think I should use an indicator?

 

[jayL]

Yeah. I always used small indicators for that kind of fishing.

Use enough weight so that you are getting down, but use as little as possible. The water is cold, and the strikes will be subtle.

If you move into some slower water and spot fish sitting just under the surface, adjust the fly accordingly.

 

[gfen]

zenherper wrote:
like Adams and March Brown. If I use those in place of an indicator, How do I tie the nymph off of the dry?

You did say this was your first time, right? I wouldn't. Two hooks raises your tangle rate exponentially. Keep it simple.

If you've got a little experience in what's going on, and you understand how to cast and a little of what goes on in loop control, THEN I'd just hang your midge nymph off the bend of the hook, cinch knotted from the eye to the bend.

Again, if you're new to this, do not do it. It will be significantly harder.

 

[pcray1231]

If you have another rod, use a longer one. No need for the short rod on the Tully, and the longer one will help with casts and drift. If thats your only rod, have at it, it'll work fine.

For dries: The 13' leader (9' + 4' tippet) is too long for most work, but reasonable for midges. Still, if you really have trouble with casting, you can shorten it some. I'd say 9' total is minimum for midge duty. For tippet, the diameter is more important than the test strength. Most likely, 6x (0.005") is the diameter you want. 5x (0.006") is probably too heavy for midge work. 7x (0.004") is fine if you're casting well but really struggling with drag.

For nymphs: If nymphs, put an indicator and some shot to get it deep. Tough to tell you how much, its one of those things we constantly adjust based on flow, depth, etc. You want to be snagging up occasionally, but not every cast. To keep drag down, occasionally "check" the indicator. The surface flows faster than the bottom, so the indi gets ahead of the fly and introduces drag. A "check" is moving the indi upstream a few inches every so often. Takes a feel to get it right.

As for general advice for a beginner. Cast up and to an angle and let it drift back. Try to get some slack in the leader, and work on mending line so that the current doesn't pull on the line and thus pull on the fly or indicator. But not too much slack, or when you try to set the hook there's too much line to pick up before getting to the fly. Again, it takes practice, but thats what you're there to do, it at least helps to know what you're trying to achieve.

Also, if you have one, give an egg fly a try (fish just like the midge nymphs, but heavier tippet), like a sucker spawn or glo-bug. Deadly on Tully rainbows at this time of year.

 

[zenherper]

This is all great information folks. I appreciate all of you taking the time to help me out.

 

[David]

pcray1231 wrote:

For dries: The 13' leader (9' + 4' tippet) is too long for most work, but reasonable for midges. Still, if you really have trouble with casting, you can shorten it some. I'd say 9' total is minimum for midge duty. For tippet, the diameter is more important than the test strength. Most likely, 6x (0.005") is the diameter you want. 5x (0.006") is probably too heavy for midge work. 7x (0.004") is fine if you're casting well but really struggling with drag.

While I agree there are times when I use 4' tippet for midging, those times are rare and as a last resort. It typically has to do with times when microdrag is causing refusals or to lengthen the drift when casting over faster currents to reach fish in slower currents. There are other ways to combat these issues that I would recommend for a beginner to try first. I maintain that, as a beginner, this setup can become unwieldy and resort in tangles, lack of control, less than ideal turnover in casting, lost fish, frustration, etc.
While I have used 13' leader, I have used shorter with better success under normal fishing circumstances. As you grow and learn...and as circumstances dictate...you can adjust to whatever setup conditions dictate. For starting out, keep it shorter to start.
I agree with everything else pcray and others have suggested.

 

[zenherper]

Thank you all again. While I can no longer say that I am a virgin to fly fishing, this morning proved to be a futile attempt. The wind kept me from gaining very much from the experience. It kept me from gaining any real control of the line, and with a strong wind coming directly downstream, I couldn't get the line upstream at all. I did manage to get a few casts across the fast moving water, but even with mending the line, the water moved so fast my drifts lasted a few seconds at best. There were a couple times, when the wind calmed down for a few seconds, that I was able to get the line in the air and get what felt to be good control of the casting motions.

And for a little something to make you laugh at a noobie - My first attempt at a roll cast brought the business end of the line snapping back into my cheekbone, leaving a little welt from either the fly or the split-shot. I guess I'm lucky I didn't get hooked. LOL... I plan to go back out on a less windy day to try again.

The plus's - It felt great to be in the water and my waders kept me warm and didn't leak.