The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning
The Best Anglers Never Stop Learning
Midges, Blue Wing Olive, PMD and 1 others
Easy - 3-5 Min
Coldwater
The WD-50 is a killer small midge and mayfly pattern with just the right amount of flash. There is also a few substitutions that can be made without hurting the integrity of the fly.
Tail: Wood Duck Flank Feather can also be used in place of the Wood Duck colored Mallard Flank Feathers.
Casing: Small Opal Mirage Tinsel will make a great casing on this bug as well.
Wing Casing: Wood Duck Flank Feather can also be used in place of the Wood Duck colored Mallard Flank Feathers.
Having some color options on this fly is important, as fish get picky with the smaller bugs most of the time. Black, olive, and tan are all good choices to keep your box stocked with. Keep some size options for each color as well. If you want to add some more flash to the fly, you can replace the mallard flank feather wing casing with midge sized pearl krystal flash. You can also replace the superfine dubbing on the thorax with ice dub in UV tan. Either or both of those options will make this fly hard to miss on a well placed drift.
The WD-50’s flashback and wing casing make it a completely different bug than the original WD-40. Both bugs are effective, but this fly is helpful in situations when the visibility may not be as good or you feel like you need a little extra push to get those fish excited to eat. The minimal material list and ease of tying make this pattern a go to for many fly fisherman, beginners and experts alike.
This bug can really be fished anywhere in terms of the water column. It can be greased and fished in the film behind a dry fly, it can be fished toward the top of a nymph rig in the middle of the water column, or it can be fished dredging the bottom at the end of your nymph rig. We suggest trying all three to as a good indicator of where the fish are feeding, if it isn’t otherwise obvious.
| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Region: West
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Northwest
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: East
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Southeast
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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Region: Midwest
Blue Wing Olive Sizes: #16 - #24
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| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
Midges Sizes: #14 - #26
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| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Region: West, Northwest, East, Southeast, Midwest
PMD Sizes: #14 - #20
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| Regional Hatch Chart | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Region: West, Northwest
Trico Sizes: #18 - #26
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Region: East, Southeast, Midwest
Trico Sizes: #18 - #26
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Copyright © 2003 – 2025 MidCurrent LLC, All Rights Reserved.