# Best Midge Nymph Pattern (for rivers)



## HighNDry

What's your best midge nymph pattern?


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## Treehugnhuntr

I like a tiny copper, hematite (favorite) or Tungsten bead on a #20 or #22 caddis type hook. Thin sliver wire for a rib, black thread for the body, white antron or poly yarn for a very small wing case (enough for some flash) and one wrap of pea**** herl(sp?) for posterity.


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## flyguy7

I don't really think there is a best midge pattern out there. For me, they kind of fall into the categories of flashy and dull and simple. Tree offers a great suggestion. The only thing I have against of a fly like that is pea**** herl is brittle and comes apart easily. I hate flies that fall apart so I would substitute just a dash of pea**** lite brite dubbing in lieu of the herl to make the fly bombproof. It makes a great little pupa pattern. 

I usually fish 3 types of midges - Disco style midges where I use a myriad of different colors of krystal flash for the body, wrap in super fine silver wire to keep it together better, and either a dubbed head of superfine black dubbing or a glass bead for deep nymphing or a 3/32 tungsten bead for dry-dropper fishing. I think that an unweighted fly picks up more fish than a BH on a deep nymph rig with split shot. The second is Zebra midge style, with various thread body colors such as grey, wine, olive, black, purple, and cream. Again, If I am going to fish it deep I substitute a glass bead for a tungsten bead. And the third is more accurate pupa patterns, such as the one Tree describes. My two favorites of this type are a Befus Glass Bead Midge and a Jujubee midge. These flies are very deadly when fish are actively feeding on midge pupa, suspended off of the bottom. 

If you are seeing fish eating near the surface, but not on it (white mouth flashed subsurface or back to tail rises) during a midge hatch these are the way to go. I would either drop one 20-25 inches off of a dry fly or use a suspended nymph rig. This is where I add 16 inches of tippet off the end of the leader and tie a triple surgeons knot. Trim the bottim tag but not the top tag. Put the accurate little pupa on the top tag and run a heavy, larger zebra midge with a big tungsten bead (7/64 bead) on the very end of the tippet. The end of the main line will have the big zebra and the tag coming off the tippet will have the pupa. It is important to use the top tag and not the bottom because this will make the line come off the tippet at 90 degrees, instead of hanging down near the main tippet and wrapping around it causing a tangle. Then put a tiny indicator 30 inches above the surgeon knot (for this I like a single Palsa pinch on indicator). Use no additional weight, and it is absolutely money when fish are suspended feeding on emerging midge pupa on the provo. Make sure you are using 6X with this rig because the smaller diameter tippet will GREATLY affect the sink rate of this rig without the aide of additional split shot and with just one beadhead fly you want to get it down as quick as possible. Because you don't have a big indicator and additional weight, it is important to fish it with as much slack as possible to get a good drift. Set up your line with a series of slack mends beforehand so you do not have to mend the flies in the money zone. Just a small mend in the "money zone" will pull your flies off drift and cause them to swing ahead of the indicator up near the surface and they rig will not be nearly as effective.


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## RnF

This works great during the winter months on the MP. Swinging it on top during a hatch can be a very Caddis like experience.

I usually fish this with out any cdc when nymphing.









Colors will vary from river to river though. Black, Gray and Brown are my go to colors until I can get it dialed in.


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## flyguy7

Great fly RnF. Looks similar to a Yong Special with a twist. I like it.


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## RnF

Thanks, I can't take full credit for the pattern, just the color scheme. I sort of fumbled upon that Mettler thread color (found in craft stores, it's sewing thread). It's almost an exact color match of the dominant midge pupa's in the MP.

Here is the book where the general diamond midge pattern came from.

This fly is really easy to tie and change the colors. And the best part is that it works.


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## flyguy7

Coates and Clarke embroidery thread also works well


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## FishOn!

My favorite is the Rainbow Warrior. I don't know if it is because I fish it the most but I always tend to catch fish on it.


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