Zebra Midge Fly Recipe – Simple, Deadly, and Always Produces

The Zebra Midge is one of those patterns that doesn’t need a flashy origin story. It just works. Everywhere. All year.

This fly is a straight-up producer—especially when trout are keyed in on midges. It’s been around a long time for a reason: it’s fast to tie, deadly in the drift, and impossible to overthink.

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Why the Zebra Midge Works

Trout eat midges constantly, especially in colder water or pressured streams where small flies are key. This pattern mimics a midge pupa perfectly—slim, segmented, and shiny with that mercury bead flash. You can fish it on a tight-line rig, under an indicator, or in a dry dropper rig.

When fish are picky, this thing just gets eaten.

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What It Teaches

This fly is perfect if you want to build real technique at the vise:

• Thread control

• Smooth body tapering

• Tight wire ribbing

It’s the kind of fly you can tie a dozen of and come out a better tyer on the other end.

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Zebra Midge Fly Recipe

• Hook: Curved scud/pupa hook (sizes 16–24)

• Bead: Silver-lined glass bead ("mercury bead")

• Thread: Black 8/0 (or color of choice)

• Rib: Fine silver or copper wire

That’s it. Four ingredients. No dubbing. No fluff. Just trout candy.

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Watch the Video:

🎥 Zebra Midge – The Simple Fly That Always Produces

More patterns + fly tying visuals: @howtotieflies