Midges:
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| .............................Fly Fishing Yellowstone National Park |
Midges are probably the most overlooked
aquatic insect that trout feed on in Yellowstone
National Park. One reason is that most anglers
hate fooling with the tiny imitations. They are
forced to do it in many of the nearby tailwaters,
but some anglers, refuse to fish them even
there. There are some tricks to fishing the tiny
little flies both from tying them on the tippet to
presenting them to the trout.
aquatic insect that trout feed on in Yellowstone
National Park. One reason is that most anglers
hate fooling with the tiny imitations. They are
forced to do it in many of the nearby tailwaters,
but some anglers, refuse to fish them even
there. There are some tricks to fishing the tiny
little flies both from tying them on the tippet to
presenting them to the trout.
Most anglers dislike midge imitations simply
because they are small. Almost invisible flies,
ultra-light tippets and fish you can't see drive
anglers crazy. Because they can't see them well,
they tend to think the trout can't either. When they
do fish them, they also think the particular fly
pattern is not important.
Compared to many types of streams such as
tailwaters and spring creeks, midges are not as
plentiful in the park's freestone streams.
Chironomidae midge larvae stay down in their
burrows in soft soil and much of the substrate of
the streams in Yellowstone. That said, there is
still a tremendous amount of midges in the
streams. They are mostly in the tailouts of pools
and back eddies as well as the meadow
streams. .
Midges come in as many sizes and colors as any
other aquatic insect. The best way to determine
what color and sizes the midge larvae, pupae
and adults are is to catch and observe them. You
need to be prepared with several colors and
sizes of them. The most important stage of the
midge is the pupa. For most of their life the larvae
stay hidden down in their burrows. When they
change to the pupa stage of life, they are
completely helpless and can easily be eaten by
trout. Usually, the trout will just remain in one
place and eat all they want to eat while the
helpless midge pupae are trying to get to the
surface to hatch. It is rare they will eat the full
grown adults from the surface because there is
no reason to do so.
Occasionally, during huge hatches, clusters of
midges will congregate and the trout will eat
them several at a time. That is what the Griffith
Knat was designed for. It may occur in the park
but we have not seen it. For that reason, I
suggest you only use a midge larva or pupa
imitation. You may prefer to drop the pupa or
larva down from a dry fly and you may even prefer
to use a Griffin Knat or some other adult midge
pattern for that. Others may prefer to use a strike
indicator.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
because they are small. Almost invisible flies,
ultra-light tippets and fish you can't see drive
anglers crazy. Because they can't see them well,
they tend to think the trout can't either. When they
do fish them, they also think the particular fly
pattern is not important.
Compared to many types of streams such as
tailwaters and spring creeks, midges are not as
plentiful in the park's freestone streams.
Chironomidae midge larvae stay down in their
burrows in soft soil and much of the substrate of
the streams in Yellowstone. That said, there is
still a tremendous amount of midges in the
streams. They are mostly in the tailouts of pools
and back eddies as well as the meadow
streams. .
Midges come in as many sizes and colors as any
other aquatic insect. The best way to determine
what color and sizes the midge larvae, pupae
and adults are is to catch and observe them. You
need to be prepared with several colors and
sizes of them. The most important stage of the
midge is the pupa. For most of their life the larvae
stay hidden down in their burrows. When they
change to the pupa stage of life, they are
completely helpless and can easily be eaten by
trout. Usually, the trout will just remain in one
place and eat all they want to eat while the
helpless midge pupae are trying to get to the
surface to hatch. It is rare they will eat the full
grown adults from the surface because there is
no reason to do so.
Occasionally, during huge hatches, clusters of
midges will congregate and the trout will eat
them several at a time. That is what the Griffith
Knat was designed for. It may occur in the park
but we have not seen it. For that reason, I
suggest you only use a midge larva or pupa
imitation. You may prefer to drop the pupa or
larva down from a dry fly and you may even prefer
to use a Griffin Knat or some other adult midge
pattern for that. Others may prefer to use a strike
indicator.
Copyright 2007 James Marsh
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