I Like Experimenting With Patterns ...

[Mike Davis]

and today found a combo that was absolutely crazy. It's probably one of the world's worst kept secret that I like tying and fishing Zebra midges in some different combos. I had also been fishing patterns with a hot red tungsten bead. Last night I put a hot red T-bead on a red thread and copper wire Zebra. (Would that make it an egg sucking Zebra? The fish didn't seem to mind. I started off with a Lightning Strike SE7 .. a TMC2488 .. in a size 18. The Flyrod Chronicle 3WT and 7X got a workout. After about an hour of non-stop fun, I switched to a SE5 size 16 and 6X with the TFO Finesse 4WT. I ran the Zebra thru the moss in an area I knew holds not huge but decent fish. About the last half dozen rainbows were in the 14 and 15 inch range with the last fish of the day being a slot 17" male. This fish were so fat that they barely fit in my hand. I had caught a bunch of fish on other patterns but the red hot Zebra caught the biggest. I managed to get in about 3 1/2 to 4 hours catching today and have no idea how many rainbows I caught. It was so much fun that numbers don't matter. Generation is scheduled for around the clock starting tomorrow so this may be my last day out for awhile. On top of the generation, I have cataract surgery coming up. If today is the last chance I have to fish .. and catch .. for awhile, I'm very happy with how the day went.

Mike

[Danoinark]

If you didn't know Mike is one of the most prolific midge fishermen I know. And believe me he uses some great combinations of Zebras that sure entice trout.

Dano