Mercury Midge

Description

The Mercury Midge is a South Platte standby that has consistently fooled selective, hard-fished tailwater trout for over 20 years.  Much of this patterns success stems from the clear, silver-lined glass bead that mimics a gas bubble that gets trapped in the midge’s thorax as it emerges.  The Mercury Midge was named because the head area of this fly looks like a tube filled with mercury—thus the pattern was named the Mercury Midge.  It is an excellent attractor in a tandem nymphing rig.  We often trail Black Beauties and Top Secret Midges off this pattern during the height of a midge emergence.

Fishing Strategies:

We typically fish a Mercury Midge as an attractor in a two-fly nymphing setup.  We recommend dropping a mayfly emerger below it to imitate the two most important food groups found in tailwater fisheries: midges and mayflies.  If trout are keying on midges, trail another midge pattern, preferably a midge pupa.  If you opt to fish with three flies, its never a bad idea to trail a Mercury Midge off a pale olive or red larva, then drop a proven pupa like the Black Beauty as the point fly.

Recipe:

Hook: #18-22 Tiemco 2487
Bead: Clear, Silver-lined glass bead (extra small)
Thread: White UTC 70 Denier
Abdomen: White UTC 70 Denier
Rib: Copper UTC Ultra Wire, (Small for #18-20) & (Extra Small for #22-24)

Pattern Variations:

Sizes: #18-22 black, olive, and brown and black, olive, brown and Flashback