For such a simple pattern the shop vac seems to
deliver in every season and is one of my go to flies. It is essentially a zebra midge with pearl
midge flash, white zelon etc. that supposedly represents the air bubble of
small emerging bugs. I’m not sure about
all that, but I am absolutely sure that this thing works! It, like a zebra midge, imitates a midge pupa
or other small larva, cranefly, baetis nymph etc. I have most recently been using it in olive
green to imitate the caddis larva that our local waters are currently full
of. I like to tie mine with peacock herl
at the thorax as opposed to dubbing, but that is just my preference. For the past several weeks on guided trips I
have started my clients on nymph rigs in the morning hours and on pretty much
every rig I have tied on a shop vac with something like a stonefly or pheasant
tail as the top fly with the shop vac on the bottom. Easily 80% of the fish have been on the shop
vac and when the bugs start really hatching I go to a dry fly. You better believe if I dropped something off
of the dry it’s been the shop vac as of late, and the takes continue. I have tied them in many colors but I
personally like olive, black and red. If
you don’t have shop vac’s in your box you better change that, and trust me you
won’t regret it.
