The flash midge

As a tyer, the midge is one of the easiest flies to tie. The zebra midge is one of the first flies most people learn to tie due to its simplicity. Keeping the theme of simplicity, adding a bit of flash instead of wrapping the hook and in thread has become my go to for midges. Using veevus holographic tinsel, semperfli stainless steel wire, and a bit of ice dubbing can make you a midge that will earn its place in your fly box. Generally I tie 14 for stocked trout, and 18 for wild trout. I don’t add any weight as I want the natural sink rate of my fourocarbon to get the fly in the first 1/3 of the water column. Keeping the fly high is the only way to assure the effectiveness of the flash. You could sink them in tandem, but the flashiness really takes on different characteristics the deeper it goes. Very effective, very easy, and relatively cheap!