Midges are great patterns year-round, but they can be particularly useful in winter, when there’s so little other insect activity going on. Midge patterns are usually quite simple, partly because working with tiny hooks can be tough, especially for the sausage-fingered among us. So at first glance, the Copper Zebra Midge looks like a nightmare because it has so many features—trailing shuck, wing buds, wrapped thorax, etc. Lucky for us, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions offers excellent tips for working on such a small scale, and, as usual, he has a few tricks up his sleeve.
What’s cool about Tim’s videos is that he’s clearly been through many of the frustrations, so there’s no detail too small for him to cover, as evidenced here by his discussion of how to get the tiny bead out of its package. He also has solutions for handling size 20 hooks, choosing tiny peacock herl, and using the thread to help control the materials.
Copper Zebra Midge from Tightline Productions on Vimeo.
Copper Zebra Midge
Hook: Standard emerger hook (here a Dai-Riki #125), size 20.
Bead: Copper, 1/16-inch.
Thread: Light brown, 6/0.
Trailing shuck: Copper Krystal Flash, one strand.
Rib: Copper Ultra Wire, small or extra small.
Wing bud: Pearl Midge Diamond Braid.
Thorax: Peacock-eye herl.
Tools: EZ Hackle Pliers, popsicle stick, dubbing wax.
Tim,
Thanks for this great video. I started using this pattern last year at our private flyfishing club pond, and it worked well when retrieved slow and steady. I tie it in slightly larger (sz. 18).
I was wondering, how do YOU fish this particular pattern?