Midges

[JCWolfe]

With all the midge activity recently, including today, got me wondering what is everyones go to midge, type and size? I've personally caught more fish with a black zebra midge and rusty brown colored zebra midge. Sizes 18 and 20. Daughter caught a few and missed several on a rusty brown today and I caught several on the black today. Nothing big but cool to watch that dry fly go under.

[OKFlyFisher44]

I would rather take a slight kick to the testicles than fish midges...be it zebra midges, emergers, or dries.

Lol, no but seriously....reds and blacks are pretty much a staple on all tailwaters from Missouri, Arkansas, and our own lil' tailwater. They are a great dropper fly like you say. I have seemed to have had better luck with 16s and 18s than the smaller 20s and 22s. This is pretty common knowledge too but the reds or rusty colored midges will work better if the water has been off for a while. Midges turn that color when oxygen levels begin to drop....

[On The Fly 6]

I've caught and seen numerous caught on a red zebra midge. Size 14-18. I've also caught a few on a blue dun midge and an olive zebra midge.

[DaddyO]

Black, Olive, Brown and Red Zebra Midges in sizes #16 to #18.

[JCWolfe]

I would rather take a slight kick to the testicles than fish midges...be it zebra midges, emergers, or dries.

More patience required but I'm with you on that one, I've never tried anything bigger than an size 18 midge might have to tie a few 16"s. The wind was killer yesterday and made that dry dropper combo hard to cast in certain areas.

[dgames]

My go to is yellow thread covered with crystal flash with copper bead. I mainly use size 16 on 2499spbl hooks. Coat the flash with zap a gap so it doesn't fall apart on the first fish.

OK44-why don't you like fishing midges?

[Wayne SW/MO]

I cheat and generally start with a black turning red, about 1/3 blk and 2/3rds red.

The 18 Gnat is my goto dry.

[JCWolfe]

My go to is yellow thread covered with crystal flash with copper bead. I mainly use size 16 on 2499spbl hooks. Coat the flash with zap a gap so it doesn't fall apart on the first fish.

OK44-why don't you like fishing midges?

I'm guessing your wrapping the crystal flash like the thread, what color crystal flash? Sounds interesting.

[dgames]

o

what color crystal flash?

midge flash olive is what I usually use.

[dgames]

I'm guessing your wrapping the crystal flash like the thread

Yes, I tie in a strand of midge flash, make a neat thin thread body then half hitch the thread at the bead. Then I hold the flash with hackle pliers and use my rotary vise and try to neatly wrap a coating of flash on top of the thread body. Tie the flash down at the bead and whip finish. Then apply a drop of zap a gap to the body so that the flash doesn't unravel when you catch fish. The flash gives the body a nice glow but you can still see the yellow through it. The LI fish seem to like it.