Advice on building a complete midge box

[flipnfly]

Just as the title states I'm looking to build a complete midge box... But I'm most curious about the buzzer pattern which patterns do you guys use for most waters if not all waters

 

[troutbert]

Back when I used midges, my favorite was the Griffith's Gnat. That is very attractive to trout, and it's easy to see on the water.

Now that I'm older, I rarely use flies smaller than #16, or tippet lighter than 5x.

 

[flipnfly]

What really turned me around was the few trips to the south Holston river the past few years purple zebra midges size 20 - 24 and that's all they wanted!

 

[Dave_W]

Flip,
Think in terms of four categories: dries, emergers, pupa, and larva.

Then consider how you expect to fish 'em and under what conditions. Because midging runs the gamut from deep nymphing in heavy rapids to sippers in frog water, you should have more flies based on expected conditions. For me, most midge fishing is really stick nymphing on the bottom, so I use a lot of Zebras. I fish midge dries much less frequently.

Here's my midge box. . .
The flies range in size from #16 down to #32.

At the top are dries. I like midge dries in cream and black (or dark gray). Tie 'em sparse; some of my midges are palmered hackle and others a puff of CDC. They are mostly 22-24.

For emergers, any tiny fly with a soft hackle will work. keep 'em sparse and dark colored and use floatant on the leader or hackle. There are some good CDC midge emerger patterns. Remember, midge pupa are wiggling, skinny critters and are not as scruffy or thick as caddis pupa.

For pupa, I tie basically the same as emergers but maybe with a tiny bit of weight. Keep the pupa skinny and with clear segmentation. Most of my pupa are #18-22.

For larva, Zebra midges or any variation will work. Have some in red to mimic "blood worms." As always, keep 'em slender and I prefer smaller beads for the head. Most of my midge larva are #18-20.

 

[jifigz]

I carry a box full of midges. I agree with Dave that midge water and the fishing styles vary, a lot. The patterns I carry are griffith's gnats, zebra midges, Al's Rat, brassies, the tiniest parachute style thread body and wire ribbed dry I can tie, and an emerged hook with thread body, tiny dubbing bump, and a poly yarn "wing" that you can grease.

I feel like that covers most of my bases. I love finding fish sipping on midges. And fishing zebras deep and weighted is successful almost always where I am.

 

[Steeltrap]

When fishing those size 18 or smaller, what size tippet do you normally use?

 

[jifigz]

Steeltrap wrote:
When fishing those size 18 or smaller, what size tippet do you normally use?

I generally use 5x or 6x. I don't carry tippet smaller than 6x, but I might get some 7x this year.

 

[Steeltrap]

I use\have tippet down to 6X. Was thinking for these tiny flies, maybe 7X would be better. I think I just need to fish the tiny one's more and with a little more confidence.

 

[just_jon]

I carry a large assortment of midge patterns because I find a hot pattern one day often doesn’t even get a follow the next. My top patterns have been a #22 palomino midge in red and #26-#28 Peg’s midge. The latter I keep rigged on sewing needle threaders.

 

[nfrechet]

some of these would be worthy to put into your midge box

http://www.flytierspage.com/nfrechette/nfrechette.htm

 

[drakeking412]

Check out Dorsey's boxes, he has millions of midges for those CO tailwaters and isn't shy to show off his boxes with pattern names.