How big is too big? My old fumbly fingers have trouble with anything smaller than a 18.
Zebra midges
- Thread starter Iglow
- Start date
Depends on where you are fishing at. I have used 18's before and had success but on rivers like S. Holston or at Wilbur like have to use the small ones to get the bites.
Mostly at the caney and elk but have SHR on the radar this summer.
Chiflyguy
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2019
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Buzzard Breath
Well-Known Member
I always start with 16's on the Caney and Clinch because I can tie them on without getting out my readers. I have no issue catching fish and usually don't have to go smaller.
I never put much thought into the size of the bugs I cast. 16's are usually the smallest I go, mostly because it's the smallest I can see and tie. It might matter when fishing tailwaters but the wild streams I fish, I've never noticed a difference. I even barely "match the hatch" if the trout are feeding, they will eat. I have fished huge mayfly hatches when I didn't have anything to imitate one and caught plenty on caddis fly patterns and vise versus. I think presentation and drift outweighs the other variables.
Setterman
Well-Known Member
I never go smaller than an 18, it's not necessary to go smaller in my experience.
Size 10 hook and a can of whole corn will solve the problem. Lordy Lordy IM ONLY KIDDING y'all don't start throwing rocks at me
I was wondering cause I've never fished one down to like #20 size but wondered if it would get more hits. Till I tried the mighty midge I never believed such a tiny fly could hammer such big fish,all my best fish have come on midges #16 and #18 , hoppers are second.
Same here some of the biggest trout I have caught have come from a midge.
7mm08
Well-Known Member
I never fished anything smaller than 18's and caught thousands of trout in TN.
During a sulphur hatch….. 16 & 14's
I've never got a really good look at a midge that we have in the tailwaters here, anybody have a pic?
What would you guess the times that something like a Ray Charles would out produce a zebra?
Setterman
Well-Known Member
A midge is essentially a small aquatic gnat. My experience is if you fish a dark,colored nymph either 16/18 it will work every day of the year. Tailwater fish aren't that complicated when it comes to flies most days.
Buzzard Breath
Well-Known Member
Don't overthink it. Tie up some 16 and 18 zebra midges in olive or black and go catch fish. I like olive, for no real reason. My buddies fish black. I usually outfish them, but only because I'm better at manipulating my line for a longer drift. If you want to get fancy, throw in a few 16 and 18 pheasant tails. As long as your fly somewhat resembles a midge, your presentation is probably the most important thing.
Agree
I got some 3x glasses and one of those hackle push holder things and I'm gonna try some 20 and 22 with7x fluro just for fun. I was up there this morning and there was millions if not billions of midge shucks on the river and they were tiny.
I've had some luck with hoppers in the early fall and have read about beetles, what's a good beetle to tie that ain't too complicated and works?
The foam beetles seems to hold up best for me. I usually do rubber legs and a peacock herl and sometimes add a bead to the body. Just look up how to tie a simple foam beetle and there are YouTube videos of it. The beetle with a dropper off of it works really good through summer.
