Overview
This ultra-visible midge pattern uses Glo Brite fluorescent white floss for the body, offering strong contrast and pop in low-light or stained water. A fine copper wire rib adds segmentation, and a glossy Solarez UV resin head finish adds durability. Tied on curved midge hooks in small sizes, it's a quick tie and a great option for winter tailwaters or as a dropper in technical dry-dropper setups.
Related patterns
Behavior & presentation
- Natural Behavior
- Pupae rise gradually from deep pools, struggling to penetrate surface tension as they hang vertically in the film. This slow ascent creates predictable interception zones where suspended trout methodically sip emerging midges.
- Where Trout Eat It
- Prime in tailwaters, spring creeks, and slow pools. Target back eddies, soft water behind structure, and foam lines.
- How to Fish It
- Dead drift below indicator or tight-line in surface film or 6-12 inches subsurface where pupae hang during emergence.
- Best Water
- Focus on tail-outs, seams, foam lines, and current breaks where film-trapped pupae concentrate during hatches.
- Strike Type
- Watch for subtle sips in the film or barely perceptible indicator movements signaling gentle takes.
Fishing strategy
- Rigging Suggestions
- Use 10-12 foot leaders with 6X or 7X tippet. Fish as dropper 18-24 inches below small dry fly like Griffith's Gnat, or tandem with another midge pattern.
- Seasonal Timing
- Year-round effectiveness with peak productivity December through April when midges dominate hatches. Excellent in water temperatures from 32-50°F when other insects are inactive.
- Pro Tips
- The fluorescent Glo Brite body and UV resin coating create subtle flash visible to fish in low winter light. The slim profile perfectly matches natural midge pupae. Essential pattern for pressured tailwaters where trout see thousands of flies.
Where to fish it
Rivers anglers pair with this fly, with local shops that stock it.
River details and fly shops from River & Run, our sister site.
Entomology
Midge pupae ascend slowly through stillwater and river columns, their gas-filled bodies creating a distinctive rising profile as they approach the surface film where they will eventually break through. Trout sip these ascending pupae methodically in the upper water column, recognizing their predictable upward trajectory and the certainty of encountering numerous individuals during prolonged midge emergences.
- Order
- Diptera
- Family
- Chironomidae
- Common name
- Midge
- Organism
- insect
- Life stage
- pupa
Pattern details
- Stillwater
- Moving Water
- Rocky Mountain
- dead-drift
- midge-hatch
- beginner-friendly
- high-water
- low-clear-water
- tailwater
- spring-creek
