Midge Fishing for Trout

Midge fishing with Troutfit Guiding

Midge fishing is some of the most absorbing fly fishing you can do on our highland lakes. When midge come off in numbers the trout key in on them, and fish that ignore everything else will feed steadily on these tiny insects. It is delicate, technical fishing that rewards a careful eye and a good presentation, and it is one of the styles we most enjoy sharing with anglers on a guided day.

On the Central Highlands lakes in Tasmania and the Snowy Mountains waters around Lake Eucumbene and Lake Jindabyne, midge hatches can turn on quietly and produce excellent fishing to rising trout if you know what to look for.

When midge hatches happen

Midge tend to hatch in the calmer parts of the day, often early morning and again in the evening, and frequently on still, overcast conditions when the surface is glassy. Look for sheltered bays and wind lanes where the insects and the feeding fish concentrate. When you see repeated, gentle rises rather than splashy takes, there is a good chance the trout are working midge.

Reading the rise and choosing a fly

The shape of the rise tells you a lot. A soft sipping rise usually means fish taking emergers or adults right in the surface film, while a rolling, bulging rise often means they are feeding on pupae just below the top. We fish small patterns to match, generally in the size 14 to 18 range, using midge pupae, emergers and small dries depending on what the fish are eating. Getting the size and profile close matters more than exact colour.

Presentation and leader

Fussy midge feeders demand a good presentation. We fish long, fine leaders and tippet down to 5X or 6X so the fly lands softly and drifts naturally, then lead the rising fish and let the fly sit in its path. Accuracy and patience beat constant casting here. On a guided day we coach you through spotting a feeding fish, timing the cast and reading whether it took your fly, which is where a lot of anglers come unstuck on their own.

Midge fishing suits anyone willing to slow down and watch the water, and it is a great way to build the skills that make you a better all-round lake angler. Get in touch to book a guided trip and we will put you onto rising trout when the midge are about.