Inc. All rights reserved. They can be an important food source for trout on all waters. Anglers may overlook them in favor of larger insects, or they may refuse to believe that trout would rise to any insect so tiny, but trout like midges big time. Get over avoiding fishing their minute imitations. Learn their habits, and with proper presentation strategies you, too, will be taking big rising trout on small midge patterns.
Midges are most important during their emergence, when fish rise to pupae and crippled adults.
On some waters mating clusters can also be important. Because they emerge year-round, you must be prepared to fish midges at all times. The actual presence of midges on the water is the best clue that trout are rising to them. Lakes, ponds, and sloughs are rich with midges, which are near the top of the list of insects that rising trout might be feeding on. On streams the importance of midges usually varies with the season.