How to fish Midges - by Lance Gray

Midges are available in the trout diet all over Northern California. The midge lives in rivers and in lakes and is a huge portion of food for trout. My fly boxes always have midges in them. From my river box to the Manzanita Lake box to my Midge Box just dedicated to over 400 different midges.

Midges come in a variety of sizes and colors all through their life cycle. The larva midge could be black, the pupa stage could be gray, and the adult midge can be white all in the same midge. That is why you need to carry plenty of midges ranging in both color and size.

Black, Red, Brown, Claret, Gray and or a mixture of all these are the top colors. Larvae are usually one consistent color, Pupas can be a mixture of colors while they rise through the water column to the surface due to molting. The adult can be white, gray, black, or a combination of colors.

A huge majority of flies to imitate the larva and pupa are the same patterns. The Zebra, Tiger, Chan’s Bombers, Thurman’s Lil’ Bit, Thurman’s Bomb Squad and my Lance’s Jigged Midges represent the larva and the pupa. Ramriez KF Flasher and the WD40 represent the Pupa stage. Griffth’s Gnats, Parachute Adams and other small dry flies can represent the adult midge at the surface. See all midges.

For example, on Manzanita Lake I use large and small midges. There are midges in the size 12 - 14 range that hatch once or twice a day in the middle of the season (May and June). I use a large Chan’s Bomber in Black and Silver size 12 at 20 or so feet underneath an indicator. I use my Deepwater Indicator System for this leader I also use small Zebra Midges in Black and Red in size 18-20, the WD40 in Black size 18 and Craven’s JuJubee Midge Black size 18 underneath an indicator about 10-13’ feet deep. I use my Shallow Water Indicator setup for this leader.

LGC's Midge Workshop at Manzanita Lake

For creeks and rivers, I will just add a midge pattern replacing my usual nymphs. I will use smaller tippet to assist the smaller fly to look and act more natural in the water. I don’t want it to look static.

Since the larva and the pupas are available to the fish 100% of the time, I usually concentrate my fishing efforts on underwater flies rather than dry flies for midges. The midge ascends to the surface by producing a small gas bubble. This small bubble allows the midge to rise to the surface in a vertical manner. Using an indicator system is the best and easiest way to fish the midge larva and pupa. Once the midge rises to the surface it hatches into the adult and flies away from the water to mate with other midges.

Midges in streams will ascend the same way – straight up with the gas bubble but will be in a dead drift inside the current while they rise. Using the High Stick method or an indicator to form a dead drift is the top choice for fly-fishers while fishing midges in moving water.



Once you understand the midge life cycle, the importance to the trout and how to fish these flies properly you will catch more fish.

Kifrsten with a Brown caught at Manzanita in early spring using a WD40

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Lance's Deep-Water Indicator System

Lance's Shallow-Water Indicator System

Lance's Jigged Zebra Midge Black/Silver



See all the Midges in the LGC's Online Store