Fly tying
Tie a Zebra Midge in six steps
Thread, wire and a bead. The best first fly to learn at the vise, and one of the best flies to fish.
The Zebra Midge is the fly we tell everyone to tie first. It takes three materials and a few minutes, it teaches thread control, and trout eat it year-round on tailwaters.
What you need
- Hook: a nymph or scud hook, size 18 to 22.
- Bead: a small tungsten bead in silver, gold or black, sized to the hook.
- Thread: black 8/0 or 70 denier (UTC Ultrathread works well). Red for variety.
- Rib: fine silver or copper wire.
Steps
- Bead the hook. Pinch the barb flat if you like, slide the bead on small hole first, and put the hook in the vise.
- Start the thread right behind the bead and make a few wraps to lock it.
- Tie in the wire along the top of the shank, and wrap the thread back over it to just past the start of the bend.
- Build the body. Wrap the thread forward and back to make a slim body that tapers up toward the bead. Thin is better than fat.
- Rib it. Wind the wire forward in five to seven evenly spaced turns, the opposite direction to your thread wraps. Tie it off behind the bead and break or trim the tag.
- Finish. Make a small, neat thread collar behind the bead, whip finish, and trim. Add a drop of head cement if you like.
Variations
Swap black thread for red or olive, or add a pinch of shiny dubbing behind the bead for a little flash. Tie a dozen in a couple of sizes and you'll have a winter's worth of flies.
