Sorry that we didn’t post a fly tying video last Friday. Truth was, we were fishing and editing the “Merry Christmas” video that was just posted. This week we’re back and featuring a great pattern – the zebra midge.
This pattern is an excellent choice for winter fishing. When the water gets colder and the hatches turn off, it’s time to go deep and break out the nymphing patterns. Now, there are a lot of choices when it comes to fishing sub-surface flies, but it seems like when it gets really cold – like, snow on the ground and ice in the guides cold – the smaller the better. We’re talking size 20 and smaller.
Few patterns are as simple and effective in the winter months as the zebra midge. It’s painfully simple on materials and super easy to tie. The hardest part is learning to work with hooks as small as 20 and 22 with your fingers. Tim from Tightlines Productions has a great tip here, though – a pair of easy hackle pliers really helps when handling tiny hooks.
This pattern is a proven winner for us. It even helped us land one in our latest video – Andy caught that rainbow on a size 20 black and gold midge pattern.
Check out the instructional video to learn how to tie your own. As before, all video credit here goes to Tim Flagler at Tightlines Productions.
Tight lines!
– The Black Gnats
The Black Gnats 