How to Tie the Zebra Midge Fly

Learn how to tie the Zebra Midge pattern including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly tying skills here.

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This fly has been around for a long time. The Zebra Midge imitates midges below the surface and will quickly fool a finicky trout that's feeding subsurface. It's a very simple fly to tie and produces on days when the water is clear and fish are keyed in on small nymphs. Use this as a dropper off of a dry fly, a trailer nymph under an indicator, or on a Euro setup. Tune in as Jared provides step-by-step instructions to tie this simple pattern. Then, purchase your materials from us and start tying!

Materials:

We've put together a kit that contains all the materials you need to tie this exact fly pattern.

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• Tiemco TMC 2488 Nymph Hook - Size 18
• Veevus 16/0 Thread - Black
• Hareline Countersunk Tungsten Bead - 5/64", Nickel
• Hareline Round Lead-Free Wire - .015
• Hareline Polar Dub - Black

Step One:

Place the bead on the hook and start building a thread base behind the bead. A good thread base will help seat the bead and build the proper taper for the fly.

Step Two:

Next, tie in the lead-free wire right behind the bead and wrap rearward to secure the wire in place. This wire will later be used to rib the fly.

Step Three:

Build a thread-based taper by wrapping up and down the body of the fly several times. These flies are designed to imitate small midges so keep your thread wraps tight and neat. Once you're satisfied with the taper of the body of the fly, advance your thread forward and leave it just behind the bead.

Step Four:

Rib the fly by taking open turns with the lead wire. This creates a segmented body and a midge-like profile in the water. Tie the wire off just behind the bead and helicopter the excess wire off.

Step Five:

Create a small dubbing noodle with Polar Dub and wrap it to form a bump behind the head of the fly. This gives the fly a more realistic profile in the water although some tyers leave this step off. If you're targeting extremely picky fish in crystal clear water, leave the dubbing off of the fly.

Step Six:

Throw a whip finish and you're done! That's the Zebra Midge, a great pattern for tailwater fishing or any river where midges are present and the water is clear, the fish finicky. This is a classic, must-have pattern for all you technical trout anglers out there.

Questions?

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