Midge Hatches Can Make or Break Your Lake Game
Amongst fly anglers, midges might be the most under-appreciated aquatic insect — at least, in their adult form. Midge nymphs are a staple in just about every fly box, from our earliest days as beginners on the water. The zebra midge, easy to tie and effective to fish, might be one of the most utilized and recognizable patterns in the entire sport.
Trout depend on the midge as a dietary staple in just about every waterbody imaginable. They’re present in freestone streams, tail waters, and lakes, year-round, in both their nymph and adult forms. And yet, many anglers avoid fishing midge dries. Why? It’s pretty simple. They’re tiny and exceedingly hard to see.
Most midges are so small, in fact, that the size 16-20 patterns we use to replicate them are usually tied to resemble a whole cluster of these minuscule bugs. Even if you have perfect eyesight — which I, myself, certainly do not — they’re tough to see in even the clearest conditions. But with the sun in your eyes, or chop on the water? In the fading light of dusk? Forget about it.
That leaves anglers with a conundrum. Is it better to fish a deadly pattern that you can’t see, or a less effective one that you can? Situationally, the answer to that question can vary. But when June rolls around on our local lakes, the equation shifts heavily in favor of option one. Hard on the eyes or not, midges are simply too important to ignore as spring transitions into summer.
Midge Tactics
By far the most effective way to fish a midge dry in a stillwater environment is to do it all on its own, at the end of a long, light leader — think 12 feet or more, tapered to 5 or even 6x depending on the visibility and position of the sun. This rig presents beautifully, with minimal disturbance to the surface, and is a fantastic way to target cruising fish as they cycle through a feeding zone. The only problem with this technique is that it only works when you can see your fly, and as we discussed earlier, that’s just not always possible.
When to Fish Midges
Midge hatches are an all-day occurrence on most of our local lakes, but fish really start to key in on these bugs starting in the mid-afternoon and throughout the evening. The closer you get to dusk, the better the fishing tends to be. I’ve spent many June evenings watching lakes like Harriet and Timothy absolutely boil with greedy fish slurping midges off the surface. For whatever reason, these tiny bugs seem to bring some of the biggest fish to the surface. Perhaps because they can eat them so casually and cautiously, without more than poking a nose or fin out of the water.
The afternoon and evening hours bring major visibility challenges, particularly if there’s any breeze or current disrupting the surface. But the fish also become less wary and skittish when the sun starts to fade.
Fly Fishing Midge Hatch Guide Hack
We take advantage of that change in behavior by adding a second, more visible fly to the equation — usually a parachute ant or smaller chubby — about 18 inches above our midge.
This rig doesn’t cast quite as nicely, so be sure to let your backcast fully extend so that your flies don’t tangle. The difference in weight between the two flies typically causes them to bunch together as they land on the water. As long as they’re not tangled, don’t worry about re-casting. Simply lift your rod tip and gently pull the larger fly away from the midge until they are at least a foot apart.
From there, it’s a waiting game. You’ll still need to watch your midge, but the larger fly acts as a homing beacon to help you locate it. As the sun really begins to fade, simply watch the area around your larger fly and set the hook on any swirls in the vicinity. Remember, hook sets are free!
Speaking of which, a delicate hook set is crucial when fishing these small bugs on light tippet. In a big, open lake environment, you’ll typically be fishing dries on a five or even six-weight rod, neither of which is built to protect light tippet from an over-zealous hook set. Be firm and purposeful, but if you really wind up on a big fish, you’ll snap your fly off before you even feel a bend in the rod.
You don’t need to be right on time, either. The way fish feed on midges makes it more advantageous to wait a split second, let the fish take the bug below the surface, and then gently raise your rod tip while stripping any excess slack from the water with your free hand. Once your line is tight and tip raised, the fish will do the rest, and you’ll typically get them hooked right in the corner of the mouth. Some of the smaller, more reckless fish will eat midges with such abandon that they nearly swallow the fly. If you land a fish with your fly deeply lodged, simply snip it off and release the fish gently.
Once hooked, fight your fish with caution. These are small flies that can be easily jiggled loose, particularly if you’re using barbless hooks (which we always recommend). As much fun as it is to fight a fish directly on your reel, gentle, long strips are a safer way to keep tension on your line. Your rod tip will move up and down less, making it less likely that you accidentally work the hook loose with frantic reeling. Pay out line with your hands as needed; big fish will earn the reel!
If you have any questions about which patterns to fish, or just want to come talk about techniques, stop by the shop, and we’ll get you on the right track. Or, book a day on one of our local alpine lakes with Fly’East Angling Adventures.
Editor’s Note
In still water environments, midges are often referred to as “chironomids,” particularly in their nymphal form. This is a colloquial distinction. Chironomids are simply non-biting midges, which, thankfully, are most of ours here in Northwestern Oregon. Chironomids are midges, but not all midges are chironomids. In fly fishing, “chironomid” typically refers to a specific fly pattern — a larger, ribbed nymph with a white cone head. They emerge no larger as adults and are virtually indistinguishable from stream-dwelling midges in their adult form.
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