Zebra Midge
Fly of the Month
We continue with Part Five Midges or diptera. Midge larvae are available year-round on all trout streams. They may be swarming over the water for various reasons including emerging, flying, mating, laying eggs or dying once spent – much like other aquatic insects. Generally an angler ignores midges since they are much too small to deal with. Besides most freestone streams have other aquatic insects present to imitate. If not, a terrestrial imitation typically brings a strike. Even a streamer, wet fly or nymph is usually preferred to using a midge.
Zebra Midge
The Zebra Midge fly pattern is named based on the original black Midge larva fly pattern which was black with a silver wire rib, thus, giving the appearance of zebra striping. The logical derivative fly patterns include many different colors for bodies and many different colors for wire, tensil or thread ribbing. All variations of the fly pattern are Bead-Headed with a glass bead, brass bead, colored metal bead or tungsten bead. Even the glass bead provides weight for the Midge larva fly pattern to sink toward the bottom. The least bit of current provides for a water column presentation much like a real larva rising to the surface as it transforms into a Midge pupa.
Except for large glassy pools, spring creeks, tailraces and still water ponds, lakes and reservoirs, the above “angler logic” generally works just fine. However, there are a few tricks to imitate midges when the midge becomes the “go to” situation. Actual midges range in length from size 18 to size 28. The practical limit of hooking a sizable trout with a small hook size is size 24. If you learn to use these very small flies and have the finesse and patience to land a trout on a size 24, you are a very good angler! For the beginner, a size 22 is a reasonably small fly to learn such finesse and patience.
Using a large gap, straight eyed hook is a must. One can tie the equivalent of a size 26 or 28 midge on a size 24 hook by shortening the body ever so slightly less in length to match the actual midge size.
Fly fishing with a Zebra Midge generally requires indicator, indicator fly, leading fly, tandem nymph or tandem larva and 5X tippet. Although trout have keen eyesight, the visibility of a very small Midge larva fly pattern may be enhanced with by the co-existence of another fly. An indicator or indicator fly will be highly visible and theoretically draws the attention of the trout. With such attention the tiny Zebra Midge is there for a “bait and switch” presentation.
A similar, yet amazing technique is to tie on a leading wet fly, soft hackle or streamer with the Zebra Midge as a trailer. First fly gets attention, Zebra Midge gets the strike. The same is true for a tandem nymph or tandem larva fly. However, with a tandem presentation in the water column, either fly may receive the strike. Keep in mind that on tailraces and spring creeks a 5X tippet is too big, so plan to 6X, 6.5X or 7X tippets with the Zebra Midge or similar midge larva fly.
Zebra Midge
Fly of the Month 1.16
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Recipe :
Hook : Curved Scud Hook, Tiemco 2488 or equivalent, size 16,18,20,22,24
Thread : Black 8/0 or to match color of body choice. Red, Olive, Purple etc
Body : Thread
Bead : Silver Tungsten to match hook size
Rib : Silver Ultra Wire small to x small
Note: the photo has "enhancements" not on the original pattern.
Directions :
We continue with Part Five Midges or diptera. Midge larvae are available year-round on all trout streams. They may be swarming over the water for various reasons including emerging, flying, mating, laying eggs or dying once spent – much like other aquatic insects. Generally an angler ignores midges since they are much too small to deal with. Besides most freestone streams have other aquatic insects present to imitate. If not, a terrestrial imitation typically brings a strike. Even a streamer, wet fly or nymph is usually preferred to using a midge.
Zebra Midge
The Zebra Midge fly pattern is named based on the original black Midge larva fly pattern which was black with a silver wire rib, thus, giving the appearance of zebra striping. The logical derivative fly patterns include many different colors for bodies and many different colors for wire, tensil or thread ribbing. All variations of the fly pattern are Bead-Headed with a glass bead, brass bead, colored metal bead or tungsten bead. Even the glass bead provides weight for the Midge larva fly pattern to sink toward the bottom. The least bit of current provides for a water column presentation much like a real larva rising to the surface as it transforms into a Midge pupa.
Except for large glassy pools, spring creeks, tailraces and still water ponds, lakes and reservoirs, the above “angler logic” generally works just fine. However, there are a few tricks to imitate midges when the midge becomes the “go to” situation. Actual midges range in length from size 18 to size 28. The practical limit of hooking a sizable trout with a small hook size is size 24. If you learn to use these very small flies and have the finesse and patience to land a trout on a size 24, you are a very good angler! For the beginner, a size 22 is a reasonably small fly to learn such finesse and patience.
Using a large gap, straight eyed hook is a must. One can tie the equivalent of a size 26 or 28 midge on a size 24 hook by shortening the body ever so slightly less in length to match the actual midge size.
Fly fishing with a Zebra Midge generally requires indicator, indicator fly, leading fly, tandem nymph or tandem larva and 5X tippet. Although trout have keen eyesight, the visibility of a very small Midge larva fly pattern may be enhanced with by the co-existence of another fly. An indicator or indicator fly will be highly visible and theoretically draws the attention of the trout. With such attention the tiny Zebra Midge is there for a “bait and switch” presentation.
A similar, yet amazing technique is to tie on a leading wet fly, soft hackle or streamer with the Zebra Midge as a trailer. First fly gets attention, Zebra Midge gets the strike. The same is true for a tandem nymph or tandem larva fly. However, with a tandem presentation in the water column, either fly may receive the strike. Keep in mind that on tailraces and spring creeks a 5X tippet is too big, so plan to 6X, 6.5X or 7X tippets with the Zebra Midge or similar midge larva fly.
Zebra Midge
Fly of the Month 1.16
- Tom Adams, Alen Baker
Recipe :
Hook : Curved Scud Hook, Tiemco 2488 or equivalent, size 16,18,20,22,24
Thread : Black 8/0 or to match color of body choice. Red, Olive, Purple etc
Body : Thread
Bead : Silver Tungsten to match hook size
Rib : Silver Ultra Wire small to x small
Note: the photo has "enhancements" not on the original pattern.
Directions :
- Crush barb if necessary, add bead and mount in vise. Start thread at the bead. Let the bobbin hang.
- Select two or three inches of silver wire and tie in behind the bead leaving a very small gap. Begin tight touching turns of thread while advancing the thread on the side of the hook shank until reaching deep in the bend (slightly past the barb tip). Return the thread in tight touching turns to form the body. When reaching the gap left at the bead return the thread in tight touching turns to slightly past halfway to the bend and back again to the gap. This will build a small tapered body. Let the bobbin hang.
- Advance the wire in ope spirals ( about four or five) turns to the gap at the bead. Tie off the wire and break away by helicoptering the wire.
- Cover the wire at the gap with several wraps of thread and make a four turn whip finish to complete the fly.