Ideas about fishing with midges?

[pbugos]

I keep reading the winter is the time to fish midges. I've been tying a lot of zebra midges variants (size 20 - 22), and I am looking for some different ways to fish with them.

I live in eastern PA so i usually fish the Tully or Ridley Creek or sometimes the Bushkill or Brodhead.

My usual winter rig is a 10' to 12' hand tied nymphing leader (following a Harvey/Humphreys formula). I tie a size 12 heavily weighted nymph (usually a walt's worm or a hare's ear) to the end of the leader and then tie on a midge as a dropper off of the heavy nymph. Some times tie on a 3rd fly ( usually #18 pheasant tail) off of a loop 2' or 3' above the big nymph.

When i do catch fish, it seems i catch most on the pheasant tail, sometimes the Walt's worm but rarely the midge. And after tying all those tiny flies, I'd like to catch a fish with one!

Any Ideas?

 

[BrooksAndHooks]

what colors are you using, etc?

I catch fish constantly, year round, with size 18,20,22 midges.

Funny enough, the first "zebra" midges I bought when I Started fly fishing, are still in my box. I tried them when I got them and times since, and have never caught a fish on one.

However, the midges I tie myself, I catch tons and tons of fish on. I caught 4 or 5 fish on my midge dropper today.

I think it may depend on your top fly and your midge tie itself. I like a dark bodied tungeston bead headwith a little bit of a flashy collar. I have had several combinations work. The real trick is the heavy bead to get the fly down, and a good drift to put the fly where the fish can see, and eat it.


Post a few pics of the midges you are using if you wish.

 

[SteveG]

You may not be detecting the takes on the midge if its tied off of the anchor fly, and the other fly is tied above the anchor.

Are you able to throw a tuck-cast with that long of a leader? Just curious because I tried the Harvey/Humphreys leader that Joe outlines in his DVD. I could see using it on fast pocket water, but it hasn't been so good on most of my local water.

 

[moon1284]

I do well on midges fished underneath a dry. The dry acts like a bobber.

 

[ryansheehan]

What tippet are you tied to? Too thick and it wont drift right. Also how much space between the midge and anchor fly? Are you using weighted midges?

 

[pabrookie94]

I have done very well consistently throughout the year on midges. Typically when I fish them it's a dry dropper or I fish them similar to yourself being a dropper off a heavier point fly(nymph).

Like Steve said I wonder if there is enough slack between the two that you're not detecting strikes?

 

[StarvinMarvin]

Don't just fish zebra midges, search for other variants and fish them and fish them hard.

 

[1fish]

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/winter-midge-fly-fishing-techniques-tips-montana/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WOS_NewDaily_1.4%20-%20CA&utm_term=CA%2050%25

 

[geebee]

i do well on midges dead drifted under an indicator - black zebra or simply a red thread and black bead.

tippet is 5x.

 

[pbugos]

Thanks to all. Some good ideals to think about.

 

[govtmule]

Try tying some "skinny Nelsons" as well...they do double duty for baetis and midges

 

[MKern]

The two types of midges that I have been successful with are wire bodies with a wrap or two of peacock and ones tied with vinyl tubing.

I do think the thinner the better with midges.

 

[MKern]

I just thought of another style I have success with and that's a stripped peacock quill as the body.

 

[Mike]

Ai's rat fished as a trailer to a larger nymph.

 

[govtmule]

"Jeff's magic midge" is **** too...although you won't find it on the Internet or Google machines...

 

[LetortAngler]

"When i do catch fish, it seems i catch most on the pheasant tail, sometimes the Walt's worm but rarely the midge. And after tying all those tiny flies, I'd like to catch a fish with one!"

Good Advice above. I would like to add that if all else fails, try fishing a larger midge nymph, like a Zebra in size 16 with a size 18 body. The bigger hook gap will help.
Secondly, most of the time fly anglers rely on the weight of the first fly or the split shot above to get both flies to sink and this is a good method, but if your fishing a bit deeper water and not sure your getting the right depth, add a small BB split shot in between your first fly and the dropper (midge). This will help bring the fly down to the right depth, which in the winter time, is usually tight to the bottom.

 

[Sylvaneous]

do you go to the Lehigh Valley? Sure, the Little Lehigh is a natch, but Saucon, where it has habitat, is even better. Cedar creek, Trout run, though its fish are VERY tough. Easton Bushkill never seemed very good to me for midges. The monocacy just never impressed in the 7 years I lived there.

Syl

 

[Fishidiot]

MKern wrote:
I do think the thinner the better with midges.

Agree.

 

[dryflyguy]

For dries, I've been using a very simple pattern called a sewer fly.
Tie a body of black 8 ott thread, and a tiny tuft of poly for the wing.
That's it - and it works as well as any more intricate patterns that I've tried

 

[AFISHN]

I fished the Provo last September for a week and got my arse kicked the first two days.
Then I went very small and fished tiny nymphs with split shot on the bottom of the rig with a large indicator.My results improved dramatically.

Since I rarely fish small flies,except for tricos,I decided to fish midges much more this coming year to gain experience with them

SO PLEASE KEEP THIS POST GOING WITH INPUT FROM THIS KNOWLEDGEABLE AUDIENCE

THANKS