Is a midge and a nymph the same thing?

[Thomas]

Hi...Is a midge and a nymph the same thing? Are they always used for sub surface presentations? Thanks

 

[tulenkot]

A midge is any number of small two winged flies found all over the world. Its imitations can be fished dry as an adult fly, or cluster of flies(bivisible type) It can also be nymphed with a juvenile imitation. I believe its juvenile form is technically a larvae and not a nymph because it doesent resemble the adult. Someone can feel free to correct me on that if Im wrong. Extremely effective pattern on most spring creeks, as well a many freestones, fished subsurface as well as dry because of large numbers of them in the water year round. Hatches of adults occur year round also. Zebra midge is one of my all time favorite patterns and its also very simple to tie.

 

[Chaz]

A nymph can be any species or genus of fly, in the larval stoge of life. A midge, usually refers to a particular genus of flies that are very small. They are true flies, meaning they have all to stages of life. That's the simple answer. To learn more you will want to do some reading.
There are some very good books out there related to aquatic insects. I'd suggest doing a little research at you local bookstore and then come back and ask specifically about the books.

 

[Fishidiot]

Hi Thomas,
Welcome to the Paflyfish forums. The short, basic answer to your question is "no."
As the terms are used in fly fishing, the term "midge" implies a specific species of insect. "Nymph" means a life phase of many species of aquatic insects, including midges. So, for example, you could be fishing a "midge nymph" fly. Or you could be fishing a nymph fly that represents some other insect. Nymphs live underwater so virtually all nymph fishing is subsurface. If you're fishing a midge, however, you might fish it on the surface since adult midges are usually found on the surface. Flies fished on the surface are called "dry flies." Midge flies are fished both as dry flies or as nymphs but the nymph version is always fished below the surface, or just below the surface.

Also, midge flies are always very small, typically about the size of a mosquito. If you were fishing a "midge nymph" it would be very small, likely not more than a quarter inch in length. Nymphs of other insects can be quite large, up to an inch in length or even bigger.

 

[afishinado]

All good stuff posted above. The short answer is in general, nymph fishing is subsurface fishing with a fly that represents the immature stage (nymph stage) of an insect.

Midges are a type of insect which in almost every case is very tiny. They can be fished subsurface or on the surface.


Here is an article about midge fishing: http://midcurrent.com/flies/midge-fishing-in-paradise/

Here is an article about basic nymph fishing: http://stevenojai.tripod.com/nymph.htm

HTH. Good luck.

 

[MKern]

Yeah nymph can mean two things.
A style of fly and or fishing done subsurface; or a imature insect that only has 3 life phases (egg, nymph or larvae, adult).

Midges are a species of aquatic (and terrestrial) insect. The midge has a true/complete metamophesis (egg, larvae, pupae, and adult).

Mayflies and stoneflies have incomplete metamophesis, while midges and caddis go through complete metamophesis.

 

[govtmule]

good information....just to clarify though.....a size 24 blue winged olive is not a midge, its a mayfly. some may think tiny mayflies are "midges" but they are not. always try to grab the fly hatching and look at it...just b/c it's miniscule doesnt make it a midge.

 

[Thomas]

Thank's everyone, this has been very informative. Oftentimes It's helpful to see or hear thing's worded differently in order to understand. :-?

 

[govtmule]

troutnut.com is a very informative sight

 

[JackM]

To some of us, a midge and nymph are very, very similar in that they are both highly effective and yet we do not like to be forced to use either of them.