CDC Adult Midge
This pattern is our flagship adult midge we use on tailwaters throughout the cold weather months. The profile, upright wing and color make this a solid choice when fish are up sipping midges on cold, sunny days.
Fly Pattern & Fishing Details
The CDC Adult Midge is one of our all-time favorites when it comes to cold weather dry fly fishing. We typically stock these heavily from early November through the end of March. The high-visibility CDC wing and low body profile is outstanding in low light and excessively sunny conditions (glare). You'll want to fish these when trout are in pool pods throughout the winter. Often times, you'll see multiple fish up eating in softer/deeper water where water current is dumping in, or pushing into a soft, slow edge. This is where fish like to target midges. I generally start with a 22-24, but you may be able to get by with something a bit larger (size 20) at the beginning of the hatch.
The Tying Recipe
- Hook: Fulling Mill FM50 50 (size 20-24)
- Body Thread: Veevus 12/0 Black
- Abdomen: Nature's Spirit Stripped Goose Biot (Gray or Black)
- Legs: Micro Pearl Krystal Flash
- Thorax: Black or Dark Gray Nature's Spirit Fine Natural Dubbing
- Wing: Dark Natural Dun CDC
- Hackle: Whiting Grizzly Saddle
Preferred tying tools
Every tier has preferences when it comes to the bench. I try to tie as simply and efficiently as possible. These are some of the must-have tools I use to design our unique guide patterns:
Fishing Accessories
Set yourself up for success when fishing these styles of patterns. When fishing technical waters, I find that having the right tools is necessary and makes for a better overall experience.
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