classic Michigan dry fly · probably 1950s
Michigan Mosquito
Unverified origin Originator unknown. Deschaine cites Schwiebert (1955) for the pattern, but Schwiebert has not been checked directly and parts of the recipe are Deschaine's reconstruction.
History
Despite the name, this is a general dark mayfly rather than a mosquito. Tom Deschaine found it listed as a Michigan pattern in Ernest Schwiebert's Matching the Hatch (1955) and thought it probably dated from the 1950s, but the name of whoever tied it first has been lost.
Schwiebert's listing was incomplete, so Deschaine filled the gaps himself: the hook sizes, thread color and split tail are his choices based on old flies of the period. The quill body, gray mallard wings and mixed brown and grizzly hackle are the core of the dressing.
Materials
| Hook | Mustad 94840 or 94833, sizes 10 to 16 |
|---|---|
| Thread | Black 6/0 |
| Tail | Two pheasant tail fibers in a V |
| Body | Stripped peacock quill |
| Wing | Gray mallard quill sections |
| Hackle | Brown and grizzly, mixed |
Sources
- Deschaine, T. "Michigan Mosquito." Just Old Flies, Fly Anglers Online, November 16, 2009.
- Schwiebert, E. Matching the Hatch. Macmillan, 1955 (cited by Deschaine).
Know more about this fly's history, or spot a mistake? Send a correction.
No photo yet. Every photo on michfly is of a fly tied for the site, so they're added a few at a time.
Original recipe cards for many Michigan patterns are kept at the Michigan Dry Flies archive, built by the late Tom Deschaine.