Balanced Blank Saver - Midnight Fire
Cheech - March 3, 2018

Seems the past couple of seasons, when I'm not fishing the smaller hatch-matching bugs on stillwaters, I've been reaching for this bugger-variant known as a Blank Saver. This is just a variation I've had good success with but the Blank Saver pattern itself is known by the chartreuse bead and black body. I throw in some midnight fire colors, make it a balanced fly and find this to be one of my go-to patterns as of late.
I've been fishing this typically on the point of a team of two or three flies. The best success has been with a midge tip line from Rio, but you could just as well fish it on intermediate or full sink lines too.
- Hook: Hanak H 400 BL Jig Hook - 12
- Thread: UTC Ultrathread 140 Denier - Black
- Bead: Plummeting Tungsten Beads - Fl. Chartreuse - 7/64" (2.8mm)
- Tail: Fish Hunter Premium Strung Marabou - Black
- Tail: Flashabou - Original - 6911 - Red
- Body: Speckled Chenille - Midnight Fire
- Ribbing: UTC Ultra Wire - Red - Small
- Hackle: Ewing Wooly Bugger Patch - White Dyed Black
- Collar: Arizona Diamond Dub - Midnight Fire