Dry · #16 of 129

Griffith's Gnat

Imitates: Cluster of midges mating on the surface

How to Rig It

Single dry. Add a tiny midge pupa dropper 6" below for finicky risers.

Dead-drift over visible rising fish. Look for noses, not splashes.

A grizzly hackle palmered over peacock herl perfectly mimics the dark, fuzzy ball of midges clustered on the water during a mating swarm.

Tied by George Griffith — co-founder of Trout Unlimited — on the Au Sable River in Michigan.

If you can see #20 midges on the water but no rising fish, look closer. Trout are sipping so subtly the rises look like raindrops.

When should I fish a Griffith's Gnat?+

Anytime trout are sipping midges, especially winter and slow tailwater pools where small clusters drift downstream.

Try the Fly Advisor

Get a fly recommendation based on live water temp, flow, sky, and time of day for any river in the US.