The midge, buzzer, gnat, chironomid fly pattern represents the seemingly ever present small insect that hatches in all manner of waters almost year ’round. Larva, pupa or adult patterns are tiny morsels that trout find available when almost nothing else is ‘coming off’ (emerging/hatching) the waters in the Winter and part of the mix the rest of the year. Like popcorn in the food chain of life.
Excellent Info re Chironomids~Midges by Philip Rowley@Fly Craft Angling
Midges (Buzzers, Chironomids, Chironomidae, Diptera, Gnats, Bombers, Bloodworms) are a staple for trout. Midges can comprise a significant portion of a trout’s diet in some lakes or rivers. Sizes vary, but tend toward the small offerings in larva, pupa, emerger, adult patterns. Type in Chironomid into Google Images and you will get the overview of this simple food form. Watch for swooping/feeding birds above the water’s surface as an indicator of a hatch.
Midge Emerger Pattern
Some good, basic information on Midge Fishing year around by Tom Rosenbauer @ Orvis. Trout sipping at a frequent pace just below the surface does increase ones opportunities for hookups.
Trout caught on Midge Emerger (Released)
Photography is a wonderful endeavor. It captures such magnitude, at times. Beauty, passion, energy, awe and just plain pleasure. Such is the case for me, with certain images of fish. There are many in my circle of fly fishers, or let’s say fishermen in general, that are greatly pleased with the beauty of a fish.
The term ‘fish porn’ arose a few years ago to capture that energy one feels of looking at a beautiful fish that subconsciously replicates something sexy, curvy, plump, sexy, powerful etc. Sometimes, a thing of beauty transcends the provocative porn label…I know it does.
A couple of things, that I have come to take for granted, should be noted for those that visit here for the images or my blazing charm…the photos of fish that are so gorgeous have been taken by my wife or son and it is important to note that the fish are released back into the waters unharmed.
I do get the occasional comment re ‘good eating’ or ‘tasty’. Short of a few hatchery (“put and take” resource) steelhead or salmon, I rarely kill any fish. I long ago stopped killing trout because they often went to waste. There are hatchery trout that are also there for “put and take” enjoyment. I just don’t bother with it anymore. The above Rainbow Trout is too glorious for me to harvest it for a meal.
I so rarely use a floating line on a lake. So, when the surface activity is there…out it comes. The fish were working in two to six feet of water, cruising about for emerging Chironomids. Big tails and dorsals swirled inches above the surface. A size 16 pupa pattern was suspended a few inches below the surface ( ‘greased’ the leader/tippet to within 6″ of the fly with floatant).
Came across this pattern by Scott Stisser, that represents a stillborn midge. With a variety of colors it could be an excellent spinner pattern for the mayfly. The foam wingcase and CDC wings would float the pattern nicely and the abdomen and shuck tail would bob in or just beneath the surface film. The link provides the step by step tying stages.
The Stillborn Midge pattern by Scott Stisser. Here, the foam wingcase is about to be pulled over the wings/thorax area.
Fly Tying Chironomids (Midges, Buzzers, Gnats). I have plenty of larva/pupa patterns. I am about done tying up little fluff balls for the dries and emergers. Last year (Spring), I tied a lot of smallish (18-22) thread bodied flies with one turn of hackle and a tuft of CDC. This year, I am replenishing a larger pattern, The Foam Winged Midge, that I have tied before. I have enough now for the next few years.
I started tying these back in December, but fell away from tying many due to life's distractions. I have now finished a couple dozen of these and that should suffice for a few years. The only derivation for this pattern is the ribbing of Krystal Flash over the peacock herl. You could use a variety of colors for some flash. I use the KFlash because of weight considerations. Even thin wire has tended to pull the fly under, over riding the foam wing's ability to support the fly in the film.
If you followed here over the last few years, you know I am not an exacting fly tier. I admire those that are, but I am in the ‘impressionistic’ category…a deluded bunch who rationalize our tying with poor vision and various other maladies (not funny I know…I have a dear friend in one of these categories). So, let me move to my usual excuse, my vision. Last year I bought those magnification goggles. A purchase that has improved my tying to some degree and relieved some frustrations.
A pile of randomness, designed to baffle trout and agitate them.
The frustration comes about when I try to photograph some small fly and upon seeing my creation via the macro lens, I am brought up short at how imprecise I am. Even now with my goofy goggles, I tie with a degree of chaos. Oh well, no two flies alike and it seems to suit me. Of course, don’t let that dissuade you from striving for perfection.
I wonder in both patterns, if snipping off the bottom portion of the hackle would improve hook-ability on such small hooks? I have had reasonable success with Griffith’s Gnats, so I imagine these will grab just fine. The nippers can always touch up the fly if needed.
I haven’t photographed many flies in the past several months, so my settings are off and I hope you will forgive the lighting/backgrounds and clarity.
A simple beginner's midge pattern to tie. A size 14-18 fine wire hook, an abdomen of one barb of pheasant tail and one strand of green kystal flash wrapped up the shank together. The hackle is one wrap of dry fly quality grizzly and the small tab of foam in figured eighted atop the shank and then covered with a few wraps of peacock herl. The rear end of the fly will ride slightly downward and the wing/foam will support the fly in the film. SwittersB
The fly fishing literature will advise you that midges-chironomids-buzzers are available year around as a dry fly/emerger option. The above pattern is, at a size 16, on the large size for most streams/rivers, but suitable for many lakes.
Study up on the larva, pupa, emerger and dry fly patterns that work from the muck up onto the surface. Dry, Emerger, and droppers are suitable for rivers, but you are advised to know your larva/pupa patterns when fishing the vertical presentation of a lake.
By no means the only resources, but you would be well served to study UK and BC literature on how to tie and present Chironomid patterns. The buzzer, midge, gnat, chironomid/bloodworm designations are more regional in use and in no way are separate insects. As a rule, the UK=Buzzer, BC=Chironomids and the US=Midge….are uniform in tying and presentation, with variations, of course, as in all fly tying/fly fishing.
The midge patterns are simple to tie (particularly larva and pupa patterns) yet very effective. They are always there, so have the necessary assortment of options.
