Miracle Midge

A slender white thread abdomen, fine gold rib and small dark thorax suggest a midge pupa.

The Miracle Midge reduces a midge pupa to a slim pale body, spaced wire rib and dark front thorax. This is Skip Morris’s thread-thorax option, with no bead or added body floss.

At the vise: Beginner friendly
Common sizes: #18–24

Flies for Trout

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From hook to fly

At the vise.

5 steps

Work through the numbered steps in order, using the materials list and written proportions as your guide.

Tie in the gold wire
Start white thread behind the eye and secure a fine gold-wire length there. Hold the wire at a low angle while binding it toward the hook bend.
Bench note Keep the wire on the shank rather than building a ridge.
Form the white abdomen
Continue the white thread in neat touching wraps to the bend, then return in close turns toward the eye to make an even, slender white abdomen.
Bench note Avoid a tapered nymph body; this midge should stay slim.
Wind the open rib
Spiral the gold wire forward in four to seven evenly spaced turns. Secure and trim it behind the eye, then whip finish and cut the white thread.
Bench note Space the ribs consistently without crushing the thread body.
Build the black thorax
Start black thread over the front tie-off and add close wraps to form a short rounded thorax that is only a little fuller than the abdomen.
Bench note Leave the eye uncovered and the pale body visible.
Finish the dressing
Whip finish the black thread behind the eye. Apply a light coat of head cement to the thorax and knot, taking care not to block the eye.
Bench note A thin coating is enough to protect the thread thorax.

Beyond the bench

On the water.

Present it as a small subsurface midge for trout with a controlled drift. The unbeaded dressing is light; set depth with the rig when fish are holding below the surface.

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