Pattern Recipes

The Half Pint Midge is a modern, bead-head midge pattern designed to imitate chironomid pupae, one of the most abundant and consistently available food sources for trout in rivers, spring creeks, and stillwaters year-round. Midges make up a significant portion of a trout’s diet, particularly in cold water, winter months, and heavily pressured fisheries where fish key on small, high-protein insects. The Half Pint Midge can be described as an enhanced Zebra Midge, combining a slim, segmented profile with subtle flash and a tungsten bead for rapid sink rate. Its compact body closely matches the natural proportions of a midge pupa, while the ribbing suggests segmentation and durability. The small pearl Krystal Flash wing buds imitate trapped air or emerging wings, an important trigger during the pupal ascent. The addition of a tungsten bead allows the fly to reach the strike zone quickly, making it highly effective in deeper runs, tailwaters, and technical nymphing situations. Simple, elegant, and highly functional, the Half Pint Midge excels as a dropper fly, part of a midge cluster, or as a confidence pattern when trout are selectively feeding on small subsurface insects. This fly is especially effective when fish are refusing larger nymphs and demanding precise, realistic imitations, earning the Half Pint Midge a permanent place in many anglers’ midge boxes.

The Mercury Midge, created by Pat Dorsey, is a highly effective imitation of a midge pupa with a trapped air bubble. The glass bead mimics emerging gas, making the fly especially deadly during winter and early spring when trout feed heavily on midges. It is best fished deep on fine tippet in tailwaters, spring creeks, and clear, slow-moving rivers.

The Midge Larva is a minimalist, ultra-realistic imitation of the aquatic larval stage of chironomids (midges), one of the most abundant food sources in trout streams worldwide. Representing the small, worm-like insects that live near the stream bottom, this pattern is especially effective in winter and during periods of selective feeding, when trout key in on tiny subsurface prey. Its slim, segmented body and subtle profile make it deadly in clear water and pressured fisheries.

The Rainbow Warrior is a highly effective modern nymph developed by competitive angler Lance Egan. It is a flashy, attractor-style imitation that suggests a wide range of aquatic insects, especially midge and mayfly nymphs. With its hot-spot thread collar, iridescent wing case, and tungsten bead, it excels in fast water and pressured fisheries, making it a staple in Euro-nymphing and competition-style rigs.

The WD-40 is a classic, minimalist emerger pattern developed by guide and angler Mark Engler. It is designed primarily to imitate Baetis (Blue Winged Olive) emergers, but it also works extremely well as a generic midge or small mayfly emerger. Its drab, natural colors and simple profile make it a true “guide fly” subtle, non-flashy, and highly effective in clear water and pressured trout conditions.

The Zebra Midge is a minimalist nymph pattern designed to imitate midge larvae and pupae. Its slim, segmented body and subtle flash closely match the natural profile of real midges, making it highly effective in clear water and pressured fisheries. Simple in construction yet extremely productive, it is a staple pattern in trout boxes worldwide. What It Imitates This fly represents midge larvae or pupae, one of the most abundant and consistent food sources in most rivers, tailwaters, spring creeks, and stillwaters. Midges are present year-round and are especially important when larger insects are not active. When to Fish It (Season) * Winter: One of the most reliable winter patterns when trout feed almost exclusively on midges. * Early Spring & Late Fall: Excellent during cold water periods with limited hatch activity. * Year-Round: Effective any time midges are present, especially in tailwaters and spring creeks. Where It Works Best * Tailwaters and spring creeks * Slow to moderate currents * Deep pools and seams * Lakes and stillwaters under an indicator How to Fish It * Fish it as a dropper behind a larger nymph or dry fly * Under a strike indicator with light tippet * On a Euro-nymphing rig with light weight * As part of a two-fly midge setup Why It Works The Zebra Midge’s thin profile, subtle flash, and ability to sink quickly allow it to stay in the strike zone longer. Trout see midges constantly, making this fly a dependable and confidence-building choice in tough conditions. Common Colors Black with silver rib is the classic and most popular combination, but variations in thread, wire, and bead color can be effective depending on water clarity and light conditions.