Midges, commonly known as buzzers by stillwater anglers, are one of the most important food sources available to trout and grayling. They are found in rivers, streams, reservoirs and lakes throughout the UK and are present during every month of the year. Although each individual insect is tiny, they hatch in enormous numbers, making them a dependable source of food that fish rarely ignore. On many waters, particularly stillwaters, midges form the largest proportion of a trout's diet.
The life cycle consists of four main stages - larva, pupa, adult and spent adult. Larvae live close to the bottom, where they range in colour from black and olive through to the familiar red bloodworm. As they develop, they rise slowly through the water as pupae before emerging through the surface film into flying adults. Not every insect escapes successfully, and these trapped or stillborn insects are often taken confidently by feeding trout. Understanding which stage the fish are feeding on is usually more important than trying dozens of different fly patterns.
Although midges are often associated with reservoirs, they are equally important on rivers. During mild winter and early spring afternoons, when few larger insects are hatching, trout and grayling will frequently feed on emerging midges. Summer evenings can also produce prolific midge hatches, particularly on slower glides and spring-fed rivers. Because the insects are so small, anglers often believe fish are feeding on "nothing", when in reality they are taking hundreds of tiny midges.
Presentation is everything. Bloodworm and larval imitations should normally be fished close to the bottom, while buzzer pupae can be effective at any depth as they ascend towards the surface. Once fish begin feeding in or just beneath the surface film, sparse emerger patterns such as the Peaks Fly Fishing Hairdresser Midge, CDC Shuttlecock Buzzer or a Black Midge Klinkhammer often outfish fully floating dry flies. Resist the temptation to retrieve continuously. A static presentation or the occasional gentle twitch usually produces the most natural imitation.
For river fishing, a floating line and long leader are usually all that is required. On stillwaters, floating, intermediate and indicator methods all have their place depending on where fish are feeding. Finding the correct depth is often far more important than changing flies repeatedly.
At Peaks Fly Fishing, we believe many anglers underestimate just how important midges are. They naturally think of mayflies or sedges because they are easier to see, yet trout often spend far more time feeding on tiny insects. If fish appear to be sipping gently with little sign of larger flies on the water, midges are one of the first food sources we consider. Carrying a small selection of buzzer patterns throughout the year will catch fish on almost every type of UK water.
## Recommended Fly Patterns
### Larvae
* Bloodworm
### Pupae
* Black Buzzer
* Olive Buzzer
* Red Buzzer
* Adult Buzzer
* Diawl Bach
### Emergers
* Peaks Fly Fishing Hairdresser Midge
* CDC Shuttlecock Buzzer
* Black Midge Klinkhammer
### Adults
* Griffiths Gnat
* Knotted Midge
* Black Spider Dry
## Peaks Fly Fishing Tips
* Fish the depth before changing the fly.
* Don't overlook midges on rivers, particularly during winter and early spring.
* Static or very slow presentations usually outfish fast retrieves.
* If trout appear to be feeding on "nothing", look closely - there's a good chance they're taking tiny midges.
* Carry patterns from larva through to adult so you can match every stage of the hatch.
