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Hi John, Most of my experience in from the west (Montana) and from the midwest (especially the drift less area of Iowa). While there are numerous species of BWO's, from the fly fisher's perspective, the main difference is size. So adjust size for the species you're seeing in the east, and most of what I've said should apply. Thanks for the comment and question. Rog

Thanks, Bob. I'm fine. I didn't get all the fishing and filming done this summer that I hoped to get done for this winter's video, but I do have a few idea that I'll try to put together after the Holidays. Rog

Hi Mitch, The picture is misleading evidently as I definitely don't tie them 3" below the caddis. It is somewhat variable, but usually I will tie my Zebra midge about 20" below the Elkhart Caddis. In moving water, the Zebra midge will usually only get down a fraction of the 20" and sometimes a take on the Zebra midge will cause a surface splash, but most commonly it will just cause the Elkhart Caddis, the indicator fly, to disappear. I'm sure it does weight the Caddis some, but I do usually use a size #14,( occasionally #16 if that is the prevailing size of current caddis) and tie these Elkhart caddis with extra hackle to try to keep them floating well. I also frequently dry the Caddis when it starts to sink easily and apply one of the silicate power dressing. When even this won't keep the Caddis afloat, I change out the Caddis. Glad you and your brother are enjoying the videos. Rog

Hi Robert. I believe most, is not all, rotary vises rotate both ways, but many rotary vises can be set for a "dominant" turning direction so can be set to your preferences. I prefer to set the "dominant" turning direction so it is the same direction as I wind my thread as can easily be seen in part IV of this series. However, I often turn my rotary vise in the opposite direction also, especially when using a rib which I commonly counter wind as can be seen in my "Part II Simple Flies, the Zebra Midge" video. So if you tie left handed, I would recommend setting up the "dominant" direction as the same direction you wind your thread. Hope this helps.

Yes Thank You

@@RogerFlyFishing Yes Thank You.

Thank you for the compliment. No, I wasn't in education, but I've always liked trying to share my limited knowledge with others.

Hi Randy, I really enjoy midge fishing also. If you go to the video on "Tummel Fly and Griffith Gnat" in this series, you find some excellent comments and suggestions from Dave Wester and some replies from me about midge fishing that may be helpful. We both like and use the Zebra Midge a lot. Perhaps I'll try to put some more ideas about midge fishing in my 2023 winter series as I think midge fishing is great fun and under utilized by many fisherman. Have a good season. Rog

Hi Dave, Sorry that the Tummel fly hasn't worked for you. The tummel fly was taught to me by a friend from Pennsylvania who fished technical waters out east and recommended that I try it. I've not fished highly technical waters, but have used it in tail waters and spring creeks with success. I usually fish it in a size #22 - #24 on very flat, slow current water. I usually cast it quartering down stream, mending only enough to keep it drifting at or near current speed, and use very small twitches. (again very small) I don't treat the fly at all, but the fly is usually in the surface film. It has worked best for me in relatively sparse midge emergences. I hope this helps. I'd be interested in your favorite flies for midge hatches also, as I'm also always looking for a "holy grail" fly. Thanks Rog

@@RogerFlyFishing Thanks for the feedback! I'll try the small twitches as I've not done that before when fishing midges. I live in Mass. but every year I travel to fish the San Juan in NM and that's where I was hoping the tummel would work (going with your thought about "something the fish haven't seen"). The hatches on the San Juan can also be very large so maybe that's a factor. What does work for me with midges on emergers are Charlie Craven's mole fly, very small parachute adams, matt's midge, and thread midges with segemented bodies and a shuck. For dry flies a griffiths is hard to beat (up to size 14 for large clusters) but many other patterns work too as long as they are small. The WD40 is a great producer for the pupa stage along with foam backs, crystal flash emergers, and my personal go to - the zebra midge in black with a silver wire segmented body. For larva a red annelid pattern beats most others.

@@davidwester9761 Hi Dave, Thanks for your feed back also. I certainly will be trying some of your recommendations. The Zebra Midge is my go to fly also for many years, and I really like the WD40 for a BWO emerger. I'll have to try it for midges also. Some of my midge fishing has been below the dam of Norfork Lake on the Norfork (North Fork) River in Arkansas. I suspect these fish aren't as fussy as on the San Juan, which I look forward to fishing some day, but haven't yet. The Griffith's gnat does seem to work well with heavy hatches. In Arkansas, a Crackle Back seems to be a popular fly and worked for me in Midge hatches although I think of it as a variation of the Griffith's Gnat. The Tummel worked best as I explained above. One time the fish would only take what my Pennsylvania friend called a Starling Wrap. It is simply a #26 hook wrapped with 2 turns of a Starling hackle which is then cut to less than 1/4 diameter leaving blunt tips on the hackle. Of course, I've also had times that I've tried everything that I thought would work, followed by frustrated changes of flies that made no sense, and still got skunked with rising fish around me! Thanks again for the list of patterns you use. Rog

@@RogerFlyFishing Sorry, the WD40 is great for the Beatis emergers on the San Juan, not midges. The parachute adams I mentioned, tied in size24-26 works for both midges and BWOs at the San Juan especially when the fish are taking flies on top. I have heard of the Norfolk but haven't fished it. Unfortunately the San Juan gets huge pressure so expect crowds if you go but like most places if you're willing to walk a little further you can get some water to yourself and there are a lot of big fish to be had.

Hi, Martyn, You are absolutely right, of course. This specific pattern was originally given to me from an eastern fisherman and friend who always referred to this specific pattern as his "Tummel Fly," so that is what I've always called it. I believe he told me that there were many similar styles or patterns also fished on the Tummel River (in Scotland?). Evidently spider tied, North Country style, and Tummel style flies are all somewhat related. I did want to find out more about the history of these styles of flies. When I tried to look it up, all I found was that any pattern of fly used on the Tummel River could be called a Tummel Fly. Is this correct? I appreciate your help. Thanks. Rog

I guess I don't know what or when I said that as I enjoy fishing with multiple different flies, but the Zebra midge has certainly been one of my favorite and most successful flies in many situations. I tie the vast majority of my bead head Zebra midges on a size 20, emerger hook. Tie some up, you'll like them. Rog

Thanks for the wonderful comments.

No worries, Rog. I greatly appreciate you getting back to me. Thank you!

Hi Jamie, I thought I had replied earlier so this may be a duplicate. But I don't see my reply. Anyway, the yarns I use are antron sparkle yarns that I found accidentally on ebay, when corresponding with a seller about another product. They had no brand name. These antron sparkle yarns do seem to work better for me than the antron yarn on the spool, although I've used that also. Many fly shops do carry Antron Sparkle Yarn on cards which I think would be the same thing. Just be sure it is Antron. Hope this helps.

Hi Diamond Coach Curtis, It sounds like you're really starting to get into trout fishing and related entomology. It's a really fun hobby and becomes more and more addictive as we learn more. I learn more every time I get out, and often learn the most from the most frustrating times like "Browns Gulping bugs4 feet away and was not catching." We've all had that happen numerous times. Tie up some sparkle pupas for those times you think caddis are emerging also, and don't forget to try some soft hackles when another choice isn't obvious. While I don't like to pump a trout's stomach very often, and some fly fisherman would criticize me for ever doing that, you can learn a lot of entomology that way when fish are rising, but it's not obvious what they're taking. As I've mentioned in multiple videos: No obvious organism with trout rising on fast water - think caddis.No obvious organism with trout rising on slow water - think midges or spinners. Use a small "tropical fish net" from a pet store and see what you can find on the surface. Have fun with this great sport. Rog