Ghost Midge

The Ghost Midge is a fairly simple pattern to tie, and it works great out on the water. Aside from a tungsten bead and your thread (hook, of course), this pattern only has two materials. Begin your thread behind the bead and secure it to the hook. Take wraps about halfway down the hook and tie in a piece of small pearl tinsel. After a few more wraps towards the hook bend, tie in a piece of white Life Flex (an elastic band-like material). Once the Life Flex is secure, continue taking wraps deep down into the hook bend, trapping both the tinsel and the Life Flex. Build a very slight taper from the hook bend to behind the bead - ensuring the hook and materials are completely covered by your black thread. End your taper with your thread resting behind the bead. Now take open wraps of the tinsel up the hook shank to behind the bead. Secure the tinsel there and remove the tag end (keep in mind the mylar tinsel is very slippery, so watch your open wraps and be very sure the material is secure before removing). Now, give the Life Flex a good stretch and keep it up. Take touching wraps with the tightened Life Flex up the hook shank until you reach the bead. Tie off the Life Flex and remove it. If you pull tight while removing, it will suck right down into your thread wraps. Finish off by creating the smallest of heads with your black thread. Again, this is a great fly. The black thread combined with the tinsel - coated by the Life Flex - gives the pattern a translucent effect.