I had intended to have these Midge patterns up in the Fall of 2022. I wasn’t able to get my ducks in a row to make it happen. So here they are because in most tail waters, midges are always present. I would suggest to those who want to up their midge game to follow this link to Pat Dorsey’s Colorado Guide Flies, scroll down and read. This book contains a ton of midge patterns that will work almost anywhere. Several inspired the patterns I am posting…
MAMBA MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 2488, #16-#20
THREAD: UTC Black, 70 Denier
RIB: Lagartun, Fine, Silver
WING: Krystal Flash, Pearl…coat fly with Hard As Hull or UV Resin of choice
Materials, Mamba Midge…
Midges are an important food source on the Lower Owens River in the Eastern Sierra…
SKINNY MIDGE… Wells / Variant
HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20
THREAD: Body – Uni, Olive Dun – * coat with Hard As Hull or UV Resin… Thorax Forward – Veevus 16/0, Black
RIB: Ultra Brite Floss, White
THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Natural
BEAD: Tungsten, Nickel, sized to hook
Materials, Skinny Midge…
White thread makes a excellent ribbing material for midge patterns. It remains white and lasts a lot longer from Trout teeth if coated with glue or resin…
BLACK RUBBER MIDGE…
HOOK: Daiichi 1120, #18 – #20
THREAD: Abdomen – UNI , Lt. Cahill…Head, Veevus 16/0, Black
BACK: Rainy’s Round Rubber Leg – Fine
WING: Zelon, White
Materials, Black Rubber Midge…
The above, $3.00 Bridge on the Madison River, MT, would be a perfect spot to use this pattern. Using rubber or silicone for the back, opens up almost endless possibilities for different colored variants of this pattern…I’ll be trying it out there with Michael, Miles and Cairo this coming September…
S.O.P MIDGE ( Silver, Olive, Peacock)…
HOOK: Gamakatsu C12-B, #18 – #20
THREAD: Danville #61, 6/0 Light Olive – Abdomen / TMC 16/0, Black Thorax Forward
RIB: Sybai Silver flat wire, Fine…
BEAD: Firehole Stone, Sterling Silver, sized to hook
HARD AS HULL: …or UV Resin to coat the abdomen for durability
Materials, S.O.P Midge…
After tying up a bunch of Perdigons, I found that many of the materials for abdomens and ribbing lend themselves to Midge Patterns. I will be incorporating more of these materials into standard nymph flies as I continue to experiment…
FIVE BRIDGES MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #18
THREAD: Danville 6/0, #47 Tobacco Brown
RIB: UTC Silver, x-sm
WING: Mirage Opal Accent, 3 strands
BEAD: Hi-Lite Glass, Brown Metallic, small
Materials, Five Bridges Midge…
Wild Trout Section …
Below Five Bridges…
Five Bridges is located on the Lower Owens River, near Bishop, CA in the Eastern Sierra. It marks the end of the Wild Trout section of the Lower Owens River, where special regulations are in effect. No kill and barbless hooks – the game warden will run a cotton ball over where the barb was removed ( if the hook is not barbless ) and any residue left on the hook now costs $500.00 or more depending on attitude…The regulations do not apply below Five Bridges and the Trout are a lot larger…I have found the color Danville #47, Tobacco Brown to be effective almost everywhere in the West…I fish glass beads patterns as trailers, off a dry to imitate an emerging fly but most frequently about “3-6” off the bottom of the water column…
KRYSTAL MIDGE…Hyatt / Variant…
HOOK: Daiichi 1120, #18 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black
RIB: Lagartun, Fine Gold Wire
WING: Krystal Flash, Pearl, 3 strands
THORAX: BRF Zelon Dubbing, Midge Black
BEAD: Killer Caddis Diamond Glass Bead, small
*Coat abdomen with Hard As Hull or UV Resin for durability
Materials, Krystal Midge…
An alternative to the ubiquitous Zebra Midge. Fish as trailer or just off the bottom…
TWO TONE MIDGE…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, # 18 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Olive – Abdomen / Head, Veevus 16/0 Black
OVER ABDOMEN: In spaced turns, Micro Tubing clear
- Swipe a black Sharpie over the tops of the spaced Micro Tubing
Materials, Two Tone Midge…
…another pattern that may be used in numerous colors. Use a seine net to kick up the bottom and observe the Midge Larva captured…
GREEN HORNET MIDGE…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20
THREAD: Gudebrod, 8/0 Chartreuse
RIB: UTC x-sm Black Wire
BEAD: Killer Caddis Chartreuse, x-sm
Materials, Green Hornet Midge…
An attractor Midge, using up a bit of the 8/0 Gudebrod Chartreuse thread that I still use for midge patterns. There are plenty of places, particularly tail waters, where these will take good Trout…like here…
Between the Lakes, Madison River, MT…
BLACK AND BLUE MIDGE…
HOOK: Firehole 633 #18 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black
RIB: UTC Gun Metal Blue wire, x-sm
WING: DNA Holofusion, White
BEAD: Firehole Sterling Silver, sized to hook
Materials, Black and Blue Midge…
One more midge in black that I would use on almost any tail water instead of a Black Zebra Midge…this pace comes to mind…East Walker River, Eastern Sierra…Midge patterns work all season long…
CREAM MIDGE…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18-#22
THREAD: UTC White, for Abdomen / Veevus 16/0 Black Head
RIB: Lagartun Fine Copper wire
- Coat with Hard As Hull or UV Resin
Materials, Cream Midge…
I tie a lot of Cream Miles for use in the Eastern Sierra and some other place we frequent. One of the largest Brown Trout I have caught in the last fifteen years took a #20 Cream Midge on the East Walker River. Someone who is knowledgeable told me that there are as many as 8000 Cream Midge larva per. cubic square foot present, in that water, in the Spring…
TOBACCO MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 2488, #18-#20
THREAD: Giorgio Benecchi 12/0 Tobacco thread
RIB: Lagartun Fine Gold Wire
THORAX: Ice Dub UV Gray
BEAD: Killer Caddis Diamond bead small
- Coat abdomen with Hard as Hull or UV Resin
Materials, Tobacco Midge…
I usually fish glass bead heads ,without a wing, deep in the water column… about 3″-6″ off the bottom…
BIG MAC MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 200R, #18 – #20
THREAD: Abdomen, Danville 6/0, #60 Olive / Thorax Forward – Veevus 16/0 Black
RIB: Spaced between Midge Tubing – Datam Glo-Brite Floss #3 Red
OVER ABDOMEN: Midge Tubing, Olive
THORAX: BRF Zelon Midge Dubbing, Black
Materials, Big Mac Midge…
Right in here , with Michael and the boys, this September…yes, it can snow there at that time of the year above $3.00 Bridge, Madison River, MT…
RORO’S AMBER SIERRA KRYSTAL BH DIP…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18-#20
THREAD: Lagartun 74 Denier, 8/0 Amber
RIB: UTC Amber wire, SM
WING: Pearl Krystal Flash, 3 strands, long-ish
BEAD: Firehole Stone, flat Black
Materials RoRo’s Amber Sierra Krystal BH Dip…
RoRo…the Sierra Angler
CUPCAKE MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20
THREAD: TMC 16/0, Brown
RIB: Sybai, fine flat wire, Bright Pink
THORAX: Ice Dub, UV Pink
BEAD: KIller Caddis Glass Diamond Bead, small
- Coat abdomen with Hard As Hull or UV Resin for durability
Materials, CupCake Midge
…another black alternative to the common Zebra Midge…
PRIMROSE AND PEARL MIDGE…
HOOK: Firehole 633, #18-#20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Yellow
ABDOMEN: KrystalFlash, Hot Yellow over working thread
RIB: UTC Fl. Yellow wire, sm
THORAX: Ice Dub Hot Yellow
BEAD: Copper Tungsten, sized to hook
Materials, Primrose and Pearl Midge…
Something snazzy to break up the doldrums here…Lower Owens River on a crisp Fall day in November…
PERIWINKLE MIDGE…
HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Olive , Abdomen / TMC 16/0 Black, Thorax Forward
RIB: UTC Wire, Black, x-sm
THORAX: Ice Dub, UV Lt. Olive
BEAD: Ruby Glass Bead x-sm
Materials, Periwinkle Midge…
Right in here…This Spring…when it’s running about 700cfs….work the edges…
MAMBA MIDGE…
HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Black -Abdomen / Head- Veevus 16/0, Black
RIB: UTC Gold wire Sm or x-sm
WING: Flashabou, Pearl – 3-4 strands – long-ish
Materials, Mamba Midge…
A flashy, black midge emerger to brighten things up when the water is a bit off color…
GREY REEFER MIDGE…
HOOK: Firehole 633, #16 – #20
THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Dark Gray, Abdomen / THC 16/0 Black – Thorax Forward
RIB: UTC Hot Orange, SM
WING: Mini Flat Fly Braid, Pearl – picked out
THORAX: BRF Zelon dubbing, Midge Black
BEAD: Killer Caddis Purple Glass, SM
Materials, Grey Reefer Midge…
A variant on a North Platte Midge pattern that would work in most tail waters when grey toned emerges are about…
NEXT: Veteran’s Day Weekend, November 2022, with these guys…
PT/TB
PLANETTROUT: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying and LIFE
PlanetTrout 
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