Midge / EmergersRed and Black Midge
A classic two-tone midge pattern that combines a slim red body with a contrasting black thorax to imitate natural midge pupae. Effective in tailwaters and spring creeks, this pattern is a go-to for picky trout in cold, clear water.
Year Round
Beginner
Trout
Apr 2025
Overview
A classic color combo for midge pupae, usually tied stretch tubing or red thread body, black ribbing or thorax, and a silver or glass bead. The contrast and flash make it effective in winter or when midges are hatching in clear water.
Where to Buy This Fly
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Materials
- Hook:
- 3X-long Natural Bend hook (here a Dai-Riki 270), sizes 20-24
- Bead:
- Crystal pearl glass bead, midge size
- Thread:
- 8/0 or 70 Denier, black
- Body:
- Stretch tubing, micro size, red
- Collar:
- Black thread
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: These tiny aquatic insects release into currents with characteristic wiggling as they relocate or prepare for emergence, their small size belying their importance as protein-rich forage. Trout consume them in enormous quantities during winter and early spring when other insects are scarce.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish feed near bottom and in the surface film in flat pools, back eddies, and soft water along seams at depths of 1-4 feet.
How to Fish It: Dead drift near bottom using tight-line Euro nymphing or in surface film under small dry fly, maintaining drag-free drift through smooth glides.
Best Water: Focus on flat pools, back eddies, transition zones, and soft water along current seams in tailwaters and spring creeks.
Strike Type: Subtle tightening on line or indicator barely dips. Watch for hesitation in drift or slight resistance.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: 6X-7X fluorocarbon with 10-15ft leaders. Fish as dropper 12-18 inches below small dry fly or in tandem with another midge. Slim profile requires minimal weight.
Seasonal Timing: Peak productivity late fall through early spring (November-March) when midges dominate. Winter months particularly productive. Midday warming (11am-3pm) triggers hatches at 35-50°F because temperature stability maintains midge activity.
Pro Tips: Red body creates excellent contrast against dark substrates. Resin head adds durability and subtle flash. Sizes 18-24 match most midge larvae and pupae. Wire ribbing segments body realistically.
Entomology
Midge larvae wriggle through bottom sediments and detritus in a serpentine fashion, occasionally releasing into the drift to relocate to new feeding areas or begin their emergence cycle. Trout consume these small but protein-rich insects in enormous quantities, often feeding selectively on specific color phases depending on the dominant local midge species.
- Order
- Diptera
- Family
- Chironomidae
- Common Name
- Midge
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- general
