Hatch Information:
- 4 Main Specie
- Hatching can occur All Year Long
- Winter Midge typically hatch during the Warmest Part of the Day
Hatch Summary:
The Black Midges typically hatch first and range from 18 to size 22, size 20 being most common. Adults have slender abdomens, black thread bodies are often accurate for imitations, the thorax is three to four times greater in diameter than the abdomen. Also, they have pale gray wings and may be hatching as early as the January opener in S.E. Minnesota if the weather is cooperating. The second specie is the Gray Midge (#20-22) which hatches into mid-February. The Gray midge has a smokie medium gray abdomen that is three times thicker than the Black midge and the thorax area is just slightly thicker than the abdomen area. The Olive Midge (#20-24) hatch starts about the middle of February and lasts into March. The abdomen is twice as thick as the black midge and is a medium olive color, thorax is three times as large as the abdomen and is medium gray in color, the wing is also medium gray. The Pale Brown Midge (#22-26) is the last of the main winter midge specie to hatch lasting until Late March. The adomen area is a pale cinnimon brown color, the wings are light gray, the thorax is twice the diameter of the adomen and is a darker brown color.
2009 Hatch Report:
Fishing the Midge Hatches can be difficult but rewarding fishing. Often I spent most of my time ignoring the ocasional rising trout and concentrated much more on fishing pupa and larva patterns just under the surface. Long fine leaders are very helpful when fishing to trout feeding on midges, often in the winter the water is crystal clear and even the subtlest of casts can send fish fleeing for cover. For the best winter midge opportunities look to the height of the day when the air-temp is predicted to be at its warmest, this will be the time that the midge can be found crawling in the snow.
