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I agree with Zen Leecher, day-in, day out, the larval phase gets the nod. Around here, most dangle them under bobbers at the lakes. I get nutty watching bobbers so I seldom do it, though I do get in a couple rounds of good surface fishing with midges (without a bobber) twice a year – a blood midge emergence at a small lake near my home, late afternoons in the early season, & again in early fall when emergences of large #16-#18 buffalo midges will get trout feeding on emerging pupae up top, on the river. If you see a lot of fish rising on midges chances are it is not the adults they are after, but the helpless emergers in the surface film. Blood midge larvae/pupa look like red worms, ¼ to 2 inches long (!), & a simple Gray Hackle Peacock with scarlet tail fished in the surface film kills when meeting an emergence. Using that same formula, here’s a hypothetical take on Ray’s midge, presuming it is olive (common) when in the pupa phase. (During emergence, the pupa retains its coloration until after the adult has completely emerged & water rinses the husk out, so tailing meant to represent the trailing ‘shuck’ of one caught in the act of emerging should be the color of the living pupa.
Hook: #18 Mustad 94842
Thread: gray UNI 8/0
Trailing pupa: olive mallard flank
Emerging wing: pearl midge flash, 4 strands, pulled over the abdomen
Abdomen: tan turkey biot
Thorax: dark gray ostrich herl
Hackle: light brahma hen (looks dark in the photo)
