Midge Mania

[cyama]

Happy to report that hatches are thick at my favorite lake. Sad to report that the biggest hatch are super small midges. Got to the lake on Saturday and no one was there except for my buddy Charlie. He said the report all week was the fishing was really poor. Not to be discouraged since I haven't fished for 3 weeks I went out for the evening hatch. Saw nothing but midges. Since I fish Putah Creek I have a love hate feeling about midges. The hatch was thick though. The midges were balling up so I tried the Griffiths. Nothing so I put on a size 22 Quigley cripple in black on 7x! That was the ticket! The good thing about the cripple is you can at least see a wing.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Looks like McCumber reservoir?

[cdevine]

Looks like McCumber reservoir?

I'm going to guess and say its Milton Reservoir but honestly I don't know too many people who would line up and fish 22-24 midges on size 7x. That is good technical fishing and perseverance so to each their own and Putah will definitely prepare you for that small stuff. Nice brown.

[cyama]

You never know what will be hatching at the "secret lake". On Memorial day weekend for just one day there were giant carpenter ants in size 10-12 and the fish were going bonkers. The next week the giant ants were gone and mysteriously shrank to a size 16. Gilligan's giant carpenter ant was the ticket. You have to have a good selection of dries and be able to tie up some odd stuff, but it is super fun.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Back in the 1970s we drove up north to fish Balm, McCumber, Manzanita, Grace and Nora Reservoirs.

Not too many fish small midges on top or spinners.

Matching the hatch on top in smooth still water is almost a lost art.

Nice to hear about anyone doing it today.

.

[cdevine]

I carry Gilligans "Jesus" was a Carp Ant pattern pretty much all summer. If you hit the truckee right in late spring/early summer it can be bonkers. "secret" lake I'm sure the same. But I've had a lot of luck with that fly in late summer too. If anything to hold my dropper on smaller streams.

[cyama]

Gilligan has some great flies!! If you are out there nymphing the Truckee you should not leave home without a bunch of Canadian Tuxedoes and G6 Caddis and crawdads. It is odd that you don't see them in every fly shop, but they are usually available at the Truckee Hardware Store. Another thing is pay the few bucks to get tungsten beads if you tie your own. You get deeper faster, it makes a big difference.

[cdevine]

Gilligan has some great flies!! If you are out there nymphing the Truckee you should not leave home without a bunch of Canadian Tuxedos and G6 Caddis and crawdads. It is odd that you don't see them in every fly shop, but they are usually available at the Truckee Hardware Store. Another thing is pay the few bucks to get tungsten beads if you tie your own. You get deeper faster, it makes a big difference.

I buy 90% of my stuff at Mountain Hardware in Truckee, CA. Great place and like to support local. Plus there fly selection is awesome. Love G6 and Stonedaddy by Doug O. I only fish small handful of flies on big T and the cray patterns rule most of the summer.

[steveg137]

Have to say I love small midge fishing on top.

Quite popular in the U.K. and have been doing it here on Baum and manzanita.

I'll often fish tiny fly behind a sighter dry if there's too much chop on the water. Did the same on silver creek this year on tricos. Fun stuff

[cyama]

if you like technical fishing and know how tie flies, this fly is really good in the evenings where fish are sipping spinners. It is called the double wing spinner, very effective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MKMBw6zuSY The Mission Bay Club has some great fly tiers and fish catchers. If you live around there you should join the club.