Zebra Midge · Nymph
Holiday colours on a cold autumn river
A beadhead Zebra Midge in black with red, green and silver wire, size 16 on a curved hook, for trout feeding on midges.
A Zebra Midge on a curved hook, held up against an autumn river with orange willows behind. A slim black thread body carries bands of red, green and silver wire under a gold collar and a silver bead.
- Pattern
- Zebra Midge
- Imitates
- Midge larvae and pupae, typically year-round and most useful through winter and early spring
- Hook
- size 16
- Tippet
- 5Xrule of three
- Silver tungsten bead gets it down
- Alternating red and green wire bands
- Gold tinsel collar behind the bead
- Slim black thread body
- Curved size 16 scud hook
On the water
Black thread runs tight and slim around the curve of the hook. Red and green wire take turns between thin silver bands, and a gold tinsel collar sits snug behind a bright silver bead. Behind it, the river goes soft blue and the willows burn orange.
Fish it deep and slow in tailwater runs and the soft seams beside faster current. Dead-drift it under an indicator or below a dry, then let it swing up at the end of the drift like a pupa rising. Cold mornings and grey afternoons suit it well.
Wire spacing makes or breaks the look. Wrap each colour in even, open turns so a stripe of black shows between every band, and keep the thread body thin so the bead does the sinking.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 5Xhook size divided by three
- Leader
- Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
- Use 5X or 6X fluorocarbon tippet and keep the fly near the bottom.
- Dead-drift under a small indicator, or trail it 18 inches below a dry fly.
- Let it lift at the end of the drift to mimic a rising pupa.
Where and when
- Hatch
- Midge larvae and pupae, typically year-round and most useful through winter and early spring
- Target
- Trout
- Water type
- Tailwater runs, slow seams and soft riffles
- Also fishes
- Also works in stillwater on a slow hand-twist retrieve, and in winter freestone pools when trout hold low and feed on small food.
Make it yourself
Beginner4 materials · 9 steps
- Pattern
- Zebra Midge
- Style
- Nymph
- Hook
- Curved scud hooksize 16
- Thread
- Black 8/0
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- BeadSilver tungsten bead
- RibRed, green and silver ultra wire
- BodyBlack thread
- ThoraxGold flat tinsel
Details
- Imitates
- Midge larva and pupa
- Colors
- Black, Red, Green, Silver, Gold
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (9)
- Slide the silver bead onto the hook, small hole first, and set the hook in the vise.
- Start the black thread behind the bead and build a few turns to lock it in place.
- Tie in the red, green and silver wire along the top of the shank, binding them down to just past the bend.
- Wrap the thread forward in smooth, flat turns to form a thin, slightly tapered body ending just behind the bead.
- Wrap the silver wire forward in open, evenly spaced turns and tie it off behind the bead.
- Wrap the red and green wire together in alternating turns between the silver bands, then tie both off.
- Trim all wire ends cleanly and cover the tie-off with a few flat thread turns.
- Tie in the gold flat tinsel and wrap a short, neat collar against the back of the bead.
- Tie off the tinsel, trim it, and whip finish behind the collar.
Proportions (4)
- Body runs from the bead back to just past the start of the bend.
- Body stays slim, no wider than the hook eye at its thickest point.
- Gold collar takes up about two to three wire widths behind the bead.
- Wire bands sit roughly one wire width apart so black thread shows between them.
Tips (4)
- Flatten the thread by spinning the bobbin counterclockwise for a smoother body.
- Bind the wire ends along the full shank so the body has no lumps.
- Keep tension steady on the wire so each band sits at the same angle.
- Leave a hair of space behind the bead so the collar has room to lie flat.
Common mistakes (4)
- A fat body slows the sink; use fewer thread layers and stay slim.
- Uneven wire gaps look messy; count turns and keep spacing steady.
- Wire crossing over itself makes bumps; wrap each colour in its own groove.
- A bulky tie-off crowds the bead; trim close and use only a few turns.
Every kit size
Materials only
Size 16 · Materials only · 12 flies
$30.90
$2.58 a fly
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 5 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$6.50
- Silver tungsten bead$9
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$2.95
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$3.25
- Gold flat tinsel$3.25
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 48 flies
$46.88
$0.98 a fly
Bought separately $49.35 · you save $2.47
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 5 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$13
- Silver tungsten bead$18
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$5.90
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$3.25
- Gold flat tinsel$3.25
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · Materials only · 144 flies
$112.77
$0.78 a fly
Bought separately $128.15 · you save $15.38
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 5 more
Every item in this kit · 7 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$35
- Silver tungsten bead$50
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$17.70
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$9.75
- Gold flat tinsel$9.75
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$180.90
$15.08 a fly
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 14 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$6.50
- Silver tungsten bead$9
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$2.95
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$3.25
- Gold flat tinsel$3.25
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 48 flies
$189.38
$3.95 a fly
Bought separately $199.35 · you save $9.97
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 14 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$13
- Silver tungsten bead$18
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$5.90
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$3.25
- Gold flat tinsel$3.25
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
Size 16 · With vise & tools · 144 flies
$244.77
$1.70 a fly
Bought separately $278.15 · you save $33.38
Includes Curved scud hook · Silver tungsten bead · and 14 more
Every item in this kit · 16 items
Hooks & beads
- Curved scud hook$35
- Silver tungsten bead$50
Thread & wire
- Black 8/0 thread$17.70
- Red, green and silver ultra wire$9.75
- Gold flat tinsel$9.75
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
The creator
How it was made
2 iterations led here; the saved one is marked
1
2 Saved
Remixes
Remixed from
- Owyhee Christmas Zebra Midgeyou are here
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
“make the red switch between green and red”
fly pattern · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- zebra midge
- midge
- nymph
- beadhead
- tungsten
- black
- red
- green
- silver
- gold
- trout
- tailwater