Zebra Midge - Red

Zebra Midge – Red

The Zebra Midge is one of the most productive and widely used midge patterns in fly fishing — a simple, precise design that has become a staple on tailwaters and spring creeks around the world. The red variation imitates the blood midge — a chironomid larva that gets its distinctive red coloration from hemoglobin, which it uses to survive in low-oxygen environments. Blood midges are one of the most abundant and important food sources in many tailwaters and stillwaters, and trout key on their red coloration with remarkable selectivity. The red body with silver wire ribbing creates the segmented, translucent profile of a midge pupa, while the silver tungsten bead adds weight and a bright attractor point.

Pattern Details

• Style: Midge larva / pupa imitation
• Body: Red thread with silver wire ribbing — imitates the blood midge, one of the most abundant chironomid larvae in tailwaters and stillwaters
• Head: Silver tungsten bead — gets the fly down fast and creates a bright attractor point in clear water
• Best water: Tailwaters, spring creeks, and stillwaters — wherever blood midges are present; especially effective in slow pools and deep stillwater columns
• Target species: Trout
• Techniques: Dead-drifted along the bottom under an indicator through feeding lanes; tight-line nymphed through runs and pools; effective as a dropper behind a dry fly or heavier anchor nymph
• Sizes available: 18, 20

A precise blood midge imitation for the most demanding tailwater and stillwater situations — the Red Zebra Midge delivers the segmented profile and bright silver bead that selective trout key on when blood midges are the primary food source.