Midge Bamboo Rods

[DinoC]

Since I am having a PHY Midge taper bamboo rod built, I have read that there are other Midge rods made by other bamboo rod makers, having different tapers, lengths, etc.
Does anyone have any comments as to how these rods compare and any preferences?
Thank you for your comments.

[GerardH]

A friend has a Summers 6'4" Midge. From what I've seen, the Summers Midge didn't have a standardized length, I've seen them from 6'6" to 6'2" -- the 6'4" has been the most common I've come across.

In comparison to the PHY Midges I've cast, the Summers Midge is much softer and I think you're pushing the rod if you try to cast beyond 40'. It's great short distance rod and gives you a delicate presentation up close. I've cast 3 original PHY Midges and a couple copies -- the commonality with these Young Midges is they're like a coiled spring.

Lee Wulff had his own Midge taper and of course there's the Orvis Midge, others would be more qualified to opine on those rods.

[nativebrownie]

Bill Critchfield builds a very special 6'6" 2-3 weight. Just different - a good step lighter, imo, than the PHY Midge.
I have fished the Critchfield taper for more than 10 years now and 'tis perfect for natives in a small stream...
Again, just different...

[ibookje]

In comparison to the PHY Midges I've cast, the Summers Midge is much softer
…..
I've cast 3 original PHY Midges and a couple copies -- the commonality with these Young Midges is they're like a coiled spring.

This is quite remarkable. Always thought Summers’ Midge to be near identical action as the PHY.

[munsey w]

I build many "Midge Rods" 6', 6'3", 6'6", 6'8" two, three and four weight rods. If you are a dedicated brook trout fisherman, madness like this happens. the action of these rods is not stiff or fast like the original Midge, but light and springy.

[Short Tip]

This quest for ultralight tackle began over 100 years ago, the Leonard Baby Catskills, the Payne 96, Hawes Featherweight, Orvis Deluxe, many more I'm sure. One thing that set the PHY Midge apart was that it wasn't really designed for ultralight lines, it was stiffer and more powerful than earlier models from other makers. In my mind, that's the thing that sets it apart.

[creakycane]

A friend has a Summers 6'4" Midge. From what I've seen, the Summers Midge didn't have a standardized length, I've seen them from 6'6" to 6'2" -- the 6'4" has been the most common I've come across.

In comparison to the PHY Midges I've cast, the Summers Midge is much softer and I think you're pushing the rod if you try to cast beyond 40'. It's great short distance rod and gives you a delicate presentation up close. I've cast 3 original PHY Midges and a couple copies -- the commonality with these Young Midges is they're like a coiled spring

Bob’s midges are sometimes marked for 3-4 lines, 4 lines or 4-5 lines. The 6’6” tend to be light, full action, like shorter versions of the 260. The 5’6” midge I own is marked 4-5, and is fine with virtually any line. The main thing I like about Bob’s short rods is that they will all fish the leader and a coupla feet of line nicely. Too many short rods urge one to open up at distance to load the rod, which often results in snagging trees,

[quashnet]

Paul H. Young might never have made a Midge rod were it not for the urging of a customer, Herbert D'Sinter, who wanted one, and who urged Young to think of the new rod as his reply to the Wulff and Orvis midge rods. After making a set of sections for a 6'3" rod which he gave to D'Sinter to finish, Young decided to make a few more finished rods as gifts for wealthy patrons. The subsequent demand was overwhelming. I almost feel fortunate that my current Midge, rod #2104 built in March 1956, was found in such bad condition that only the butt section (with Mr. Young's inked lettering intact) and some hardware could be saved. Bob Summers rebuilt the rod and made two new tips in 2014. The color of the cane in the tips exactly matches the butt section, and the strength of the butt plus the high quality of tapering in Bob's tip sections makes a superb little midge rod.

Bob's own Midge models are excellent. Another notable 6'3" Midge rod maker is R.W. Lancaster, whose other Young-derived tapers are also extremely good. John Pickard and Jim Beasley also made versions of the 6'3" Midge.

[GerardH]

A friend has a Summers 6'4" Midge. From what I've seen, the Summers Midge didn't have a standardized length, I've seen them from 6'6" to 6'2" -- the 6'4" has been the most common I've come across.

In comparison to the PHY Midges I've cast, the Summers Midge is much softer and I think you're pushing the rod if you try to cast beyond 40'. It's great short distance rod and gives you a delicate presentation up close. I've cast 3 original PHY Midges and a couple copies -- the commonality with these Young Midges is they're like a coiled spring

Bob’s midges are sometimes marked for 3-4 lines, 4 lines or 4-5 lines. The 6’6” tend to be light, full action, like shorter versions of the 260. The 5’6” midge I own is marked 4-5, and is fine with virtually any line. The main thing I like about Bob’s short rods is that they will all fish the leader and a coupla feet of line nicely. Too many short rods urge one to open up at distance to load the rod, which often results in snagging trees,

Agreed. I the Summers Midges I'm familiar with are better at close casting than the several PHY tapers I've cast. My own copy of a Young Midge, 3-4 of my friends think it would do better with a half weight heavier line to dampen it a bit for short casts. Maybe...I haven't felt handicapped by it but I know where they're coming from. But I can't roll cast nearly as well with the Summers Midge as I can with the PHY taper, that was also noteworthy to me.

[creakycane]

Paul H. Young might never have made a Midge rod were it not for the urging of a customer, Herbert D'Sinter, who wanted one, and who urged Young to think of the new rod as his reply to the Wulff and Orvis midge rods. After making a set of sections for a 6'3" rod which he gave to D'Sinter to finish, Young decided to make a few more finished rods as gifts for wealthy patrons. The subsequent demand was overwhelming. I almost feel fortunate that my current Midge, rod #2104 built in March 1956, was found in such bad condition that only the butt section (with Mr. Young's inked lettering intact) and some hardware could be saved. Bob Summers rebuilt the rod and made two new tips in 2014. The color of the cane in the tips exactly matches the butt section, and the strength of the butt plus the high quality of tapering in Bob's tip sections makes a superb little midge rod.

Bob's own Midge models are excellent. Another notable 6'3" Midge rod maker is R.W. Lancaster, whose other Young-derived tapers are also extremely good. John Pickard and Jim Beasley also made versions of the 6'3" Midge.

The Pickard Midges are very close in feel to the Youngs I’ve cast and own from 50s to 70s.

Lancasters are solid small stream 4s, and many have small ventilated grips that even add to the butt action. I really like the 3 piece version of the Midge Bob Lancaster has produced. I have mine in the car waiting for the weather to warm up a little, since I have some olive-eating trout I plan to visit before Thanksgiving!

[Flykuni3]

Funny, but I've seen only a few Young Midges out on the Coast. One was owned by Richard Heilmann who I haven't seen in 30 years. I recall thinking -- it was my first encounter with a Paul Young Midge -- wow, this is a beautiful and strong little sucker.

[Perry Palin]

Funny, but I've seen only a few Young Midges out on the Coast. One was owned by Richard Heilmann who I haven't seen in 30 years. I recall thinking -- it was my first encounter with a Paul Young Midge -- wow, this is a beautiful and strong little sucker.

I have a Summers-era PHY Company Midge which I have fished off and on since the early 80s. Posters describe the PHY Midge as a great rod for brook trout in small streams, and I agree, but I have caught the occasional brown to 20 inches with my Midge and never felt undergunned. Of course, there's a lot to these stories: the size of the water, obstructions above and below the surface, how wild the fish wants to be, the tippet and fly, and how well the fisherman knows his equipment. (And of course, I've lost good fish too, with cane rods of many models.)

[GerardH]

I have a Summers-era PHY Company Midge which I have fished off and on since the early 80s. Posters describe the PHY Midge as a great rod for brook trout in small streams, and I agree, but I have caught the occasional brown to 20 inches with my Midge and never felt undergunned. Of course, there's a lot to these stories: the size of the water, obstructions above and below the surface, how wild the fish wants to be, the tippet and fly, and how well the fisherman knows his equipment. (And of course, I've lost good fish too, with cane rods of many models.)

Hi Perry,

Of all the PHY Midge originals and copies I've cast, your PHY Midge is the holy grail of them all. That rod sang to me when you had me over that afternoon. That was the day I was convinced I needed a Midge....and it's proven to be one of my favorite rods. Thank you for that opportunity.

[quashnet]

As I've often noted, "One of the best things you can say about a Paul H. Young Co. fly rod is that Bob Summers built it."

[ibookje]

Gerard please elaborate how such a short rod can be useful? My shortest rods are 7ft

[GerardH]

Gerard please elaborate how such a short rod can be useful? My shortest rods are 7ft

Keep in mind this is subjective and only my personal preference. Here are the waters I fish my Midge, either they're northern WI freestoners in tag alder jungles or heavy tree canopy:













Or they're tiny Driftless creeks with heavy bank vegetation.



I am in no way suggesting a 7' rod couldn't get it done, it's just my experience a 6'3" Midge does it better. My Midge is a roll-casting machine, can avoid a lot of brush and branches that I couldn't with a 7'6" rod or even a 7' in many cases. It's a great point-and-shoot rod in tight conditions...it's the equivalent of my grouse/woodcock doubles. It's extremely accurate and handles the wind better than longer rods where line management is a consideration. It does have its limitations where mending, dapping and high-sticking are concerned, so I do pick my streams where I fish it. The intangible factor for me is the Midge is just a fun rod,

Now in small, open pastured streams such as this, I hope to have a Driggs in the next year to keep over-sized browns out of a lot of underwater hazards, but that's a different thread.

[Godfroy]

Gerard,

Those are great pictures, which answer the question. I think it was one of your earlier posts which inspired me to build a Driggs copy.

Here is me fishing one of my Midge rods, a 3-piece. This is a tight stretch with a low tree canopy, particularly in the summer (this photo was taken in October). I have fished it with 7ft 6in or 7ft rods but the midge is much easier. I can roll cast my way up it with hardly the need for an overhead cast. The midge rod not only roll casts well but roll casts a smaller and lower loop of line.

[ibookje]

Thanks Gerard, the pictures shows where the Midge seems to feel home.
I love fishing small streams myself too. So far a 7 - 7.5 ft rod was always short enough. But indeed really tiny streams with all the brushes tickling your ears would be a problem

I just wished Paul Young also developed three piece rods too...

[Capt. Frank]

I have a John Zimny built Midge, Garrison taper, it casts beautifully with a 3 weight silk line.

[JohnMD1022]

4 wt. I gave this rod to Mike Watriss at the Great Feathers Fly Shop.

I would throw into the mix, two by Farlow:

5’10 1/4 one piece Ultimate, specced kfor 5 wt
but really a 4.

Cortland 444 6 1/2 foot, specced as above. I have owned 3 of these , including the original prototype, and ammthinking about. Line spec as above.