In short, a Zebra Midge is a
fly pattern
used to imitate both the pupal and
nymphal stages
of a
wide variety
of aquatic-born insects The Zebra Midge features a tapered body, ribbed abdomen, and a beadhead, making it a versatile and effective fly pattern for all sizes and species of trout.
What color are zebra midges?
The Zebra Midge is usually a thread body of Black, Red, Olive, Brown, and Gray color with a fine silver wire ribbing. It can have a beadhead of Nickel, Copper, Gold, Black, or a Glass Bead.
How big is a midge zebra?
Zebra midges are most commonly tied on
hooks size
16 and smaller Here I’m going to use a Dai-Riki #125 emerger hook in size 20. I’m using a 1/16th inch silver cyclops bead because it complements this hook well. It can be a microscopic wrestling match to get the bead on the hook,
small hole
first, but do your best.
How do you fish a midge pattern?
- Light tippet – midges are tiny, and that means matching them with thin tippet is important
- Use two dries – Since midges are small and often black, midge dry flies are some of the hardest to see
- Find midges in the water – Choosing a midge nymph isn’t too complicated.
Is a zebra midge a nymph?
The Zebra Midge is a nymph that mimics midge pupae and/or emerging midges. Here’s where you can start looking for them. There’s just one trick to catching them: Use a size 16-24 shrimp/scud hook wrapped in colored thread and a copper or silver fine wire with a 2 or 3mm tungsten bead head of matching metallic finish.
What does a WD 40 fly imitate?
The fly can be used to imitate a small Baetis / Blue Wing Olive or midge The original fly pattern was tied with a gray body/thorax, but it can be tied in a variety of colors including olive, chocolate, black, tan, and red.
What type of fly is a zebra midge?
The Story. The TH Zebra Midge is a great stillwater fly pattern where chironomids are present. Chironomids can represent a significant portion of the trout’s diet in stillwater. Sizes: 16, 18, 20, 22.
Who invented the zebra midge?
The Zebra Midge, invented by Lees Ferry guide Ted Welling , imitates a tiny midge pupa, but you’ll be amazed by how such a tiny fly can attract large fish. In his book Tying and Fishing Tailwater Flies, Pat Dorsey describes how he uses the Zebra Midge when he needs a midge-pupa pattern that sinks quickly.
Are zebra midges good?
The Zebra Midge is an extremely simple, but highly effective fly I mean it REALLY catches fish. Fishing it as a dropper off almost any nymph can often produce trout that are constantly feeding off tiny insects in the bottom part of the water column, often referred to as “the strike zone”.
Are midges black flies?
Black flies, Biting midges (No-see-ums), Horse flies, Deer flies and Stable flies are all biting flies Many of these species require a blood meal in order to lay eggs. In most species only the female takes blood meals.
What does a Copper John fly imitate?
What does the Copper John Nymph imitate? The Copper John Nymph imitates Mayflies and Stoneflies If you are a fly angler, you know that trout are fans of these little bugs, and eat them through the Spring, Summer and Fall, especially during the hatch.
What do Prince nymphs imitate?
The Beadhead Prince Nymph most accurately imitates a stonefly or a mayfly nymph but can imitate a variety of other insects depending on the size, color and river that you are fishing.
What is a San Juan worm?
A San Juan Worm is a fly pattern designed to imitate an aquatic worm (or annelid) Constructed of three materials–a hook, thread, and chenille–San Juan Worms are known for their simplicity, durability, and versatility, as they can be fished year-round, and in nearly any body of water.
What is a green drake fly?
What is a Green Drake? A western green drake or Drunella Grandis is a large crawling mayfly that can be easily identified for its upright mayfly wings and vibrant green color They are most often found in size #10-#12 sometimes even an #8 sized fly.
What is the life cycle of a midge?
There are four stages in the life-cycle of midges, egg, larva, pupa and adult In the tropics, depending on species and environmental conditions, the entire life-cycle takes around 3 weeks to complete. The longest stage is the larval stage, when the larvae burrow in the sediment and organic matter in the water body.
What color are midges?
Their heads are small, but noticeable, and easy to imitate with a few wraps of tying thread. Midge larvae are found in a wide range of colors including blood red, pale olive, gray, brown, and black Most midge larvae are between 3 and 10 millimeters—about the length of a size 16 to 22 long-shank hook.
What temperature do midges hatch?
Look for cloudy skies around mid-day when temperatures are in the mid 30’s to 40’s Wind-free days are hard to come by this time of year but are ideal for fishing these hatches.
Is a midge a dry fly?
This emerging dry fly closely resembles the natural mayfly emerger for tough to catch, selective trout. The midge pattern is effective when trout are selectively taking very small flies on the surface or in the film. Have a variety of colors handy in your fly box.
What is a midge fly pattern?
A midge larvae has a segmented and curved body They’re often skinny and can be found in multiple colors. Some of the most common are going to be red, gray, brown and black. These flies are small and only range from size 16 to 22 hooks.
What is a Baetis nymph?
Baetis mayflies are known to fishermen as Blue-winged Olives or simply Olives They are first Ephemeropterans to hatch each season, emerging from late February into April. Another group emerges with Sulphurs and Green Drakes in late May.
References
https://flyfishingthesierra.com/zebra_midge.htm
https://www.tridentflyfishing.com/blog/how-to-tie-the-zebra-midge-fly/