Midge Magic [Hardcover]

Don Holbrook (Author), Ed Koch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001

Step-by-step tying sequences for dozens of new patterns

Hatch charts and extensive catalog of patterns

No one has studied midges more intently than Don Holbrook. For 25 years he has scoured the limestone streams of central Pennsylvania, gathering and cataloging specimens, studying them under the microscope, and creating patterns to match every nuance of color, structure, and size. No one is as adept at fishing midges as Ed Koch, who literally wrote the book on the subject. Holbrook and Koch here combine to present the definitive work on tying and fishing the tiny naturals with which you can catch trout virtually all year long.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The late Ed Koch was a fly-fishing guide, writer, and lecturer. He lived in southcentral Pennsylvania where he was active in groups including Trout Unlimited and the Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Association.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811709965
• ISBN-13: 978-0811709965
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It will open your eyes to tying great midge patterns, January 15, 2002

By 

Chris Bogart "ShenRods" (Luray, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Midge Magic (Hardcover)

Midge fishing and tying midge patterns was always something I left to somebody else - very intimidating. Where do you start and what do you fish and why? Talking to Ed and Don at fly fishing shows, listening to what they have to say, seeing the vials of midges that Don had pumped from the stomachs of trout, looking closely at the midges under magnification, and reading this book brings it all together. The patterns are real. They are easy to tie. The materials are cheap. When you read this book, sit back and take it all in you realize that most of the mystery is gone. It gives you the tools with which to master this art. You gain an appreciation for the patterns and why they work. This is not a pretty fly book. This is a real working fishermans reference. You have the results of 20 plus years of two masters trials and errors of fishing midges. A must have for a fly fisherman.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Midge Matching, December 26, 2001

By 

Pgh, PA (Pittsburgh, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midge Magic (Hardcover)

This book is essentially a pattern book. Little if any information is given about actually fishing midge patterns. In fact, the author spends a great deal of time telling you that he doesn't know much about the process anyway.

The real point of the book is that fishing midges requires exact matching of midge patterns to current stream conditions. That is, sample the midge larva in the stream (little attention is payed to dry patterns), examine them microscopically, and tie up a matching fly using the included patterns. Little, if any, entomoligical data is given in the book.

The patterns are interesting, though, and the many photos of midges quite good (photography is hobby of the author and an entire chapter is devoted to taking photos of these creatures) although, again, with no entomological data on what is being photographed. Don't look to this book for many tips or "magic" solutions that will help you catch fish.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The midge, tied and true, November 19, 2002

By 

Former Rater (Nowhere) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Midge Magic (Hardcover)

Mr. Holbrook has done a very fine job of covering how to tie midge pupa, larva, spinners and (a few) winged adults down to size 32 hooks.

This book shares space on my tying shelf beside Darrel Martin's Micropatterns (it adds nicely to Martin's fine work), Leeson & Schollmeyer's Fly Tier's Benchside Reference, Oliver Edwards' Flytyers Masterclass (the English use flytyer where the US uses fly tier), Hughes' Trout Flies and Mariano's In the Ring of the Rise.

I rank it with these other fine books because it belongs there. If you have an interest in tying midge patterns and want to learn how Mr. Holbrook came to his patterns, this book reveals all. If you want to tailor your midge patterns to your local Dipterans, you can find out how to do that as well.

This is not a book on taxonomy and it is not intended to be (and a guide to Dipterans is WAY beyond all but the Ph.D. taxonomists ..the Dipterists and Dipteran Journals are turning to genome studies over the morphological classification - do a search on Dipterists for more information).

The collection, observation and macrophotography guides are excellent for beginner to advanced collectors.

This is a must have book! Ed Koch is partially responsible for the author's addiction: good on you, Ed!