Stuck in the Shuck Midge

Pattern Description:

The Stuck In The Shuck Midge has become a Rocky Mountain staple over the past decade. The funny thing about this fly is that it is claimed by at least three prominent tiers, (who shall remain nameless), as an original pattern, but has been around for at least fifteen years. This pattern imitates a midge struggling to free itself from the pupal husk. This is another simple tie, made from readily available and inexpensive materials. I like this pattern because it is also easy to see on the water. The SITS Midge can be tied in many other color combinations and materials can be substituted freely. I like this pattern in the color presented here, as well as a gray version, tied with gray thread and dun hackle. Black hackle is also suitable for either of these color combinations. I fish the SITS Midge with a dead drift to rising trout. Apply floatant to the fly and cast away. I try to get the fly to land within a foot of the fishes head and drifting straight down to him, right between his eyes. It seems as though casting accuracy makes a huge difference when fishing to midge eaters. It is probably far more important than exactly what pattern you might be using. At any rate, heres another midge to add to your arsenal. It never hurts to have a few different looks to show the fish when they become picky and Lord knows, they get picky on midges.

Materials Needed:
Hook: TMC 101 #16-24
Thread: 10/0 Black Gudebrod
Shuck: Amber Darlon
Shellback: White Flouro-Fiber
Abdomen: Black Tying Thread
Hackle: Grizzly rooster Neck
Thorax: Peacock Herl

Step 1
Start the thread at the seventy percent point on the hook and wrap a thread base back to the bend. Return the thread to the starting point.


Step 2
Tie in about one fifth or sixth of a strand of amber Darlon at the starting point and wrap back over it to the bend. This shuck should be relatively sparse.


Step 3
Return the thread to the starting point and tie in about twenty strands of white Flouro-Fiber.


Step 4
Wrap back over the Flouro-Fiber to the bend of the hook taking care to keep it on top of the hook shank.


Step 5
Wrap the thread forward over the butt ends of the Flouro-Fiber and Darlon, forming a smooth, slightly tapered, thread abdomen up to the starting point.


Step 6
Select and measure a grizzly hackle feather that has fibers equal to about one and a half gap widths.


Step 7
Prepare the base of the feather by stripping the fibers to expose the quill for a length of about two eye lengths. Tie the hackle feather in by its butt at the front end of the abdomen with the inside of the feather facing the hook shank.


Step 8
Tie in six to eight peacock herls from the eye of the quill by their tip ends just behind the index point. Wrap back over the herls to the front edge of the abdomen.


Step 9
Wrap the peacock herls forward to the index point forming a smooth thorax, and tie them off. Clip the excess peacock herl at this point. It may help to twist the peacock herls into a rope to keep them from spreading apart when wrapped.


Step 10
Palmer the hackle forward over the peacock with three to five turns and tie it off at the index point. Clip the hackle tip. Make a few turns of thread in the index point to smooth the tie down area.


Step 11
Pull the Flouro-Fiber forward over the top of the fly, from the bend to the index point. Tie the Flouro-Fiber down in the index point with several tight turns of thread.


Step 12
Clip the excess Flouro-Fiber off flush against the hook shank and build a smooth thread head to cover the stubs. Whip finish and clip the thread. Trim the shuck to one shank length long.


Step 13
Finished Fly, Top View. Notice the length of the shuck, the size of the hackle and the tightness of the Flouro-Fiber shellback.


Step 14
Finished Fly, Bottom View. Again, note the length of the hackle, the length of the thorax and the slimness of the abdomen.