The Woolly Gentleman

Fly Fish Food

Matched on nymph flies, trout, midge. Strong technical tying and trout catalog coverage, especially nymphs, dries, and stillwater flies.

nymph fliestroutmidge

Fulling Mill Flies

Matched on nymph flies, trout, nymph. Large pattern house with broad freshwater and saltwater fly categories.

nymph fliestroutnymph

Orvis Fly Catalog

Matched on nymph flies, trout, midge. Broad retail catalog for standard trout, warmwater, salmon/steelhead, and saltwater patterns.

nymph fliestroutmidge

Big Y Fly Co.

Matched on nymph flies, trout, nymph. Broad by-type catalog useful for common benchmark patterns and inexpensive backups.

nymph fliestroutnymph

The Zebra Midge proves that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, or at least the ultimate fish-catching strategy. Thread, wire, and a bead. That is the entire recipe. And yet this pattern accounts for more winter trout on spring creeks than flies ten times more complicated. Midges hatch year-round in the constant-temperature spring creeks of the Driftless, and trout eat the pupae ascending through the water column with the enthusiasm of someone who has been on a restrictive diet.

Quick Facts

TypeNymph

Difficultybeginner

SeasonsSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Target SpeciesBrown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout

Sizes#18 - #22

Best LocationsBennett Spring, MO; Roaring River, MO; Norfork River, AR

Where to Fish It

Bennett Spring

MO · Spring Creek

Roaring River

MO · Spring Creek

Norfork River

AR · Tailwater

Map unavailable. Locations for Zebra Midge: Bennett Spring, MO; Roaring River, MO; Norfork River, AR

Related Reading

region guide

Driftless Area: Spring Creek Paradise

Tucked into the unglaciated hills of southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northeastern Iowa lies the Driftless Area — a landscape of cold spring creeks, limestone bluffs, and wild trout that rivals any destination in the country. This is the complete guide to fishing the Driftless.

seasonal playbook

The Spring Playbook: First Hatches to Full Send

Spring is the most dynamic season in fly fishing — water temperatures swing daily, hatches emerge in waves, and fish that have been dormant for months begin feeding with increasing urgency. This is your region-by-region playbook for fishing the awakening.

hatch guide

Midge Fishing: The Tiny Flies That Save the Day

When every other hatch has shut down, midges keep trout feeding. From winter tailwaters to high-altitude stillwaters, Chironomidae are the most abundant insects in freshwater ecosystems. Learning to fish these tiny patterns unlocks twelve months of dry-fly and nymphing opportunities.

technique

Nymph or Dry? The Decision That Changes Everything

Ninety percent of a trout's diet is consumed subsurface. Yet ninety percent of the magazine covers show a dry fly floating on calm water. The decision between nymphing and dry-fly fishing isn't about preference — it's about reading the situation and making the choice that puts your fly where the fish are actually feeding.

seasonal playbook

The Winter Guide: Cold Water, Warm Hands, Willing Fish

Winter separates the dedicated from the fair-weather crowd. The rivers are empty, the hatches are tiny, and the fish feed in slow motion. But they do feed — they have to. And the angler who understands cold-water metabolism, midge biology, and the art of slowing down will find winter fishing not just productive but deeply rewarding.

Driftless Scud

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #18

Curved-hook scud pattern for upper Midwest spring creek trout, from Wisconsin and Minnesota Driftless water to Iowa limestone creeks. Olive or pink. The daily bread of Driftless brown trout.

OlivePinkTanGrayOrange

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Sow Bug

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #18

Isopod imitation for spring creek trout. Flat, segmented body with antennae. A staple food source in limestone-rich waters.

GrayTanOlive Gray

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Pheasant Tail Nymph

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #20

The universal mayfly nymph. Pheasant tail fibers over copper wire. Imitates Baetis, PMDs, and most small mayfly nymphs.

NaturalFlashbackOlive

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#12 - #18

Buggy, impressionistic nymph tied from hare's ear fur. Imitates mayflies, caddis pupae, and assorted creek debris.

Natural Hare's EarDarkOlive

Brown Trout · Brook Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Mop Fly

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#10 - #14

Chenille mop strand on a jig hook with a bead head. Controversial among purists. Devastatingly effective in stocked and wild water alike.

CreamChartreusePinkTan

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin

Black Hills Pheasant Tail

Find a tier or trusted source

Midwest & Driftless

#14 - #20

Pheasant tail nymph adapted for South Dakota's Black Hills spring creeks. Tungsten bead and slim profile sink quickly in the fast-flowing freestone runs of Rapid and Spearfish creeks.

Natural Pheasant TailFlashbackOliveCopper

Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout

SprSumFallWin