Optimidge

Optimidge

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Tying Instructions

1. Place the hook to the vise behind the barb. Wrap the .010 wire about 6-7 times around the hook shank with evenly spaced segments. The segments should start just behind the eye and finish just above the point of the hook where the curve begins.

2. Apply a drop of Super Glue to the wire and remove excess with your fingers. Note: I created a small space behind the eye of the hook by moving the wire down the shank just a bit prior to coating with Super Glue. This is important for tying the gill material properly.

3. Attach the Gray thread to the shank and apply some thread wraps around the wire nearest the eye.

4. Attach the dubbing so that it extends over the eye of the hook. Secure with a couple of thread wraps just behind the eye.

5. Trim off the butt end of the dubbing and secure with additional thread wraps, enough to cover all of the butt ends of the dubbing. Now continu8e to wrap towards the rear covering the wire wraps with thread.

6. Wrap the Gray thread over all of the wire wraps but not too much to obscure the wire segmentations.

7. At the end of the wire wraps bring your dubbing tool to the end of the hook and use it to create thread loops from the base of the shank. About 5 thread loops will be needed. A thread wrap behind the loops will keep them from migrating further down the shank.

8. Pull your tool away, and secure the tailing fibers with some additional thread wraps at the base. Be careful not to build-up material here.

9. Clip the loops at an angle cut to the length you prefer for a tail.

10. Now, attach the Black thread ribbing just in front of the tail and secure with thread wraps.

11. Wrap the ribbing forward between the wire segments. Secure the ribbing at the area you tied in the dubbing. Build this area up with additional thread wraps. The head of the midge should be about twice the thickness as the lower body and should represent about a quarter of it’s length which includes the tail. Use a whip finish and trim off the thread.

12. Apply a drop of Super Glue to the body and tail. Take care not to get any glue on the gill material. I will put a drop of Super Glue on the body and then spread the glue with my bodkin.

13. Carefully mark the tailing material with black segmentations using a permanent, waterproof marker.

14. This is the finished Optimidge.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 200R, sizes 18-20
Thread	Gray Uni-thread 8/0
Head	Gray Uni-thread 8/0
Weight	0.015 Lead wire
Body	Gray Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Gills	White Antron Fibers
Tail	Gray Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Ribbing	Danville Black 6/0 Thread

Kent Rianda

Optimidge

The Optimidge is a pattern designed by Kent Rianda around 2002. Kent is the owner of The Troutfitter and The Trout Fly of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Kent guides mostly on Crowley Lake and has designed these patterns after the chironomids that frequent the lake.

Zebra Midge Variation??

When I first saw this pattern I thought it was a variation of the Zebra Midge but it really is not. Kent pointed out that the key to the pattern is the wire that is wrapped around the shank prior to the threaded body. These spirol wraps give the pattern additional weight as well as the segmentation of the natural chironomid. He calls this the “opti” of the Optimidge. Kent prefers to use White Hareline dubbing for the gills. He added a threaded tail in 2008 coated in Super Glue and marked for segmentation. This created a more slender sillouette to the pattern.

Elongated Profile

He also found that changing to a TMC 200R hook rather than the TMC 2487 increased the number of takes by the trout since most chironomids will have an elongated profile rising through the water column rather than the “J” that is often presented with midge patterns such as the Zebra Midge. The Black Optimidge with Red/Black ribbing uses Red Wire and Black 6/0 thread.

The Red wire and Black thread is wrapped between the wire segmentations beneath the thread body. Recently, Kent added a Red bead to the Gray/Black optimidge and included a green flashback. He found that this fly did better than others when the algae coated the surface water but the bottom was clear. Olive, Black, and Gray are excellent colors when the water is relatively clear. As the algae becomes heavier within the water column, adjust the colorations towards purple and red.

Tandem Rigs

Normally, I like to use a tandem set of Optimidges, 12-18 inches apart. It had been thought that trout usually pick off the chironomids near the bottom, thereby the dropper midge should reside about six inches off the lake bottom. However, Kent has noticed, through underwater video, that the trout will actually pick up chironomids throughout the water column when they are on the bite. An indicator is used to indicate a hit but will also help establish depth control. Midging is particularly effective when fishing in less than 10 feet of water, although depths up to 14-20 feet might be necessary.

Chironomid Habitat

Chironomids prefer muddy lake bottoms. They burrow into the mud but are often above the bottom surface during migration and hatching. The larvae are known to migrate during the Spring seeking warmer water. During the Summer, the larvae will do the reverse and seek deeper, cooler water. Often the hatches will follow this temperature flow by hatching in the shallower waters during the morning hours and hatching within the deeper waters during the late morning or early afternoon. Try imitating the Chironomid stages by using a larva pattern as the dropper below a bead-head pupa.

Presentation

Through the middle of the hatch, try using the bead-head pupa as the dropper below a bead-head emerger. A small split shot between the two flies will help keep tension on the leader and will result in improved hook-ups. A sight twitching action with pauses will give the optimidge slight action and is often very effective. A slow retrieve using a hand twist is popular.

When fishing these rigs, always maintain a straight flyline. Strikes may be subtle and you need direct line control to set the hook. The depth upon which the fish are feeding can range from the bottom to the surface. If there are rises showing, try an emerger pattern without any weight, to keep the midge just below the surface. Keep an eye out for hatches, they can happen at any time.

Red Bead Gray/Black Optimidge Pupa

Hook	TMC 2487 , #14-20
Thread	Uni-thread Gray 8/0
Head	Red Glass Bead
Weight	0.015 Lead wire
Body	Gray Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Gills	White Antron Fibers
Tail	Gray Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Flashback	Ocean Green Flashabou
Ribbing	Danville Black 6/0 Thread

Olive Optimidge Pupa, Gray/Black

Hook	TMC 2487 , #14-20
Thread	Uni-thread Olive 8/0
Head	Gold Bead
Weight	0.015 Lead wire
Body	Olive Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Tail	Olive Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Ribbing	Danville Black 6/0 Thread and Gray Wire

Bloodworm Optimidge, Red/Black

Hook	TMC 200R, sizes 14-16
Thread	Red Uni-thread 8/0
Head	Black Bead
Weight	0.015 Lead wire
Body	Red Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Ribbing	Danville Black 6/0 Thread and Red Wire

Black Optimidge Pupa, Red/Black

Hook	TMC 2487 , #14-20
Thread	Black Uni-thread 8/0
Head	Black Uni-thread 8/0
Weight	0.015 Lead wire
Body	Black Uni-thread 8/0 coated with Solarez Flex
Gills	White Antron Fibers
Tail	Black Uni-thread 8/0coated with Solarez Flex
Ribbing	Danville Black 6/0 Thread and Red Wire