Zebra Midge

Description

The Zebra Midge is arguably the most popular midge pattern around.  Don’t let the simplicity of this pattern fool you—it has consistently fooled selective trout all over the United States.  The Zebra Midge has a tungsten bead with a quick sink rate and excels in dry and dropper applications.  While the original pattern performs extremely well, a flashback variation is a must-have.

Fishing Strategies:

The Zebra Midge and its variations fish well under a wide range of conditions, regardless of the season.  It is especially effective at the beginning of a midge hatch.  Once you begin to see adults hovering above the water, you should switch from a larva to a pupa pattern.  In the initial stages of a midge hatch, we tend to fish a midge off an attractor (i.e. egg pattern) to draw attention to the small fly below.  As the hatch intensifies, drop a Black Beauty off another pupae (Top Secret Midge, Manhattan Midge, etc.) as the trout are feeding selectively on midges.  Observation is key when trying to match the hatch.  Look at the size of the adults and match the pupa accordingly.

Recipe:

Hook: #18-24 Tiemco 2487
Bead: Tungsten (color to match)
Thread: Black UTC 70 Denier
Abdomen: Black UTC 70 Denier
Rib: Copper UTC Ultra Wire (Small for #16-20)

Pattern Variations:

Flashback