Zebra midges in July?

R

RRizz

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Hey fellas i have had good success this season useing Hares ear and beaded pheasant tail,started out with size 16 then 18 and now size 20,but the last week no luck at all. I realize temp change and water depth could be changing and perhaps my locations that held fish perhaps no longer are. Should i be putting on different nymps and also whats everyones thoughts on Zebra midges size 20 when warmer weather hits especially in July?


I have been moveing my indicator to water depth changes.


Any help is appreciated being that i am a newbie.


Thanks,Robert
 
Zebra midges work year 'round. They imitate so many small insects that they're worth fishing any time. Midges also hatch all year.
 
I love zebra midges. And 20's are all I fish/tie. Try messing around with different colors, too. Red, green, black, brown, cream. As JayL said, they imitate a lot of bugs/worms, and trout are usually willing to eat them as they float by. Use them as nymphs, or hang them from a dry.
 
It wont be long before the major hatches are over and they will work even better. I agree with jayL, I use them in January and in late summer thats all you see hatching. I watch the fish in the pools when midges are hatching in the summer, they don't come up for the midges most of the time, they just slowly cruise around gulping them up as they are riseing.

The pic below is of one I use year round. It was taken out of my flybox when I took the pic, you can see that it's been chewed on, not as bad as some I have.
 

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Very helpful thanks fellas.


gochs.. What dry fly do you suggest or is that just used to float it or as an indicator?

In winter do i tie on something else with the midge and dureing summer and winter do i try to get it close as possible to bottom.
 
Buffalo 7 any particular name for that midge?
 
Just what ever you think fits. In the summer when I'm throwing hoppers or beetles, I'll add on a zebra midge. Sometimes an ant. If you're just prospecting, put it on a elk hair caddis. It's really up to you.
Zebra midges are very versatile. You can add a little shot and get it deeper (But not enough to sink your dry) or not add weight and let it float in the film. There are endless ways to fish it. If you're attaching it to a dry fly, think of it like an accessory. Just attach it and enjoy.
 
RRizz wrote:
Buffalo 7 any particular name for that midge?

I tie my own patterns, but I found one in the book thats close to it, it's called a Bead Head Frostbite Chironomid Pupa. It has a little white puff over the eye of the hook thats the only difference, it's an Umqua pattern. They use a different body material than I do also.

PM me an address and I'll send you a few of them.
 
RRIZZ,
Try some without beads as well. I like just a black thread body ribbed with extra small wire. Coat this head cement. Tie in #18 and 20 scud hook. Dynamite!
 
I usually fish beadheaded zebra midges in size 18 or 20, but I've also had plenty of luck with adding a little bit of peacock herl or peacock herl and partridge feather just below the bead.
 
buffalo7 wrote:
It wont be long before the major hatches are over and they will work even better. I agree with jayL, I use them in January and in late summer thats all you see hatching. I watch the fish in the pools when midges are hatching in the summer, they don't come up for the midges most of the time, they just slowly cruise around gulping them up as they are riseing.

The pic below is of one I use year round. It was taken out of my flybox when I took the pic, you can see that it's been chewed on, not as bad as some I have.

Nice fly. They'll catch fish all day long. Just one comment. You might want to reconsider having the thread go that far down the hook. It'll catch fish, which it already has, but you're more likely to lose a few.
 
The further down the bend the better - midge larvae are curved, especially when hanging in the film
 
I have some midges like that, Do you fish them with weaight on the bottom or free float just below the surfice.
 
^ yes. ;)
 
Not a zebra, but one I've had very good success with. I tie them in 18 & 20. The body is made with dyed polish quill, tungsten bead, and a little bit of peacock dubbing. This one is a size 20
polishquill20_zps7db55e4c.jpg

Coated with two or three coats of Sally Hanson's hard as nails to protect the quill.
 
lv2nymph wrote:
Not a zebra, but one I've had very good success with. I tie them in 18 & 20. The body is made with dyed polish quill, tungsten bead, and a little bit of peacock dubbing. This one is a size 20
polishquill20_zps7db55e4c.jpg

Coated with two or three coats of Sally Hanson's hard as nails to protect the quill.

I REALLY like that... :-D
 
Nice looking fly lv2nymph. I'll have to tie a couple up and give them a try.
 
That's one beautiful fly.
 
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