There is one fly that will catch fish on the Tulpehocken Creek twelve months a year. One fly is all you need. It is the zebra midge, a simple fly that imitates the most abundant insect life in this stream. A midge, in its larva state, is distinguished by an enlarged head that is fused to a segmented thin body, usually dark in color and is smaller than a dime. Trout in the Tully depend on this aquatic life for nutrition throughout the year.
The midge is often overlooked by fly fishers due to the popularity of the caddis hatches that begin in late April and the trico hatches that begin in late June. What makes this fly so unique is the ability to fish it twelve months a year with great success, as compared to the caddis and trico imitations.
The zebra midge imitation can be fished by a number of methods. It is a sinking fly, so most of the time it will be fished dead drifted on the stream bottom with or without a strike indicator. The secret with this fly is to keep it rolling and drifting with the current down deep. Trout key on midge naturals as they get dislodged from the rocks and debris in the stream and drift with the current. This is exactly what the fly fisher is trying to imitate.
To better your chances with strikes, a tandem rig (2 fly set-up) with a strike indicator can be used. In one version, the zebra midge can be tied 12-16 inches behind the first fly, usually a type of bead head nymph, with a strike indicator further up the leader. When fishing this set-up, both flies should be drifting along the stream bottom. A good rule of thumb: if you’re not getting snagged every few casts, you’re not on the bottom. One need’s to be where the trout are feeding and that is down deep. Make sure there is enough line between your strike indicator and the first fly to achieve this. A simple technique to use to estimate stream depth is to look at the water height on your waders and add another 12 to 16 inches to compensate for stream flow. The flies will not hang directly under the strike indicator when fished, due to the differences in drift rates between the strike indicator and flies, thus the need for extra line length.
In times of high fast water, like the springtime, a weight may be added between the strike indicator and first fly to get the tandem rig down deep. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this set-up. That’s what makes this fun.
A third way to fish the zebra midge is solo through the strike zone of feeding fish. Many times feeding trout can be seen thrashing and slashing in a stream’s current a foot or two below the water’s surface. Carefully cast to these fish a few feet upstream, adjusting for stream flow, and let the midge dead drift through their strike zone. This is one of the most exhilarating moments of fishing a midge pattern, sight fishing to feeding fish just under the stream’s surface and actually seeing the “take”. Fish-on!
Zebra midges may be purchased locally at Tulpehocken Creek Outfitters (TCO), West Lawn. TCO will be glad to answer any questions about fishing this pattern and the equipment best suited for the presentations described.
The next time you head out to fish the Tulpehocken Creek, don’t forget about that small fly that will produce big results all year long, the tiny zebra midge.
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