Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 10
Fishing the Zebra Midge
by Carl Haensel
photos by the author
The author fishes Muddy Run, York County, on a warm winter day. While fishing
can be great when there is snow on the ground, look for warmer days to produce
the most midge activity in the winter.
A small male midge rests
on the snow along a trout
stream. Look for active,
flying midges on warmer
winter days. A hatch of
this type can lead to good,
dry fly action, but the
Zebra Midge can perform
particularly well when
adults are flying.
Look for trout in the middle of winter to form
schools in deeper, slower pools. Swift runs and
shallow riffles that hold fish in the summer will
likely be vacant as fish seek areas where they
can expend less energy through the coldest
times of the year. Stay out of the water as you
fish, and spend time looking for fish in the
water. Sometimes, you may need to walk a fair
distance on a trout stream to find a good pod
of fish to work in the winter. Fishing small flies
like the Zebra Midge works best in clear or only
slightly off-color water. Once you find a
likely looking spot, fish the Zebra Midge
on a nymph rig with an indicator. Add
splitshot to your line, as necessary, to get
the fly down. Trout in the winter will rarely
move far to take a tiny nymph. Often, you
will have to spoon-feed the fly into a pod of
fish that you can visually see. Work hard to
get the fly to drift at the same speed as the
current in the lane that the trout are holding.
If you use this technique, you will likely start
A nice wild Brown Trout
was caught in the winter
on a limestone spring creek.
10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * January/February 2014
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014
Straight Talk
Notes from the Stream
Contents
Northeast Best Ice Perch Lakes
Tying the Zebra Midge
Your Fishing Field Guide
“Iced” Fish: a Great Winter Release
Midwinter is Sunfish Time
Drilling Your Way to Success: Strategies for Ice Fishing
Simple Ice Fishing Equipment Modifications
Presque Isle Ice
5 Hot Tips for Icy Trout
Ice Safety Thickness Chart
What Lurks Beneath
Bluegills on Ice
Fishing with the Next Generation— Nurturing Your Future Angler from the Cradle to Canoe
The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission’s Fisheries Biologists: Who are they and what do they do?
Angle Jigging for River Walleyes
Choosing the Right Minnow Rig
Different Boats for Different Folks
Highlights from the 2014 Boating Regulations Recap
Winter PLAY Newsletter
Southern Redbelly Dace
Reflecting on the Water
Currents
Angler’s Notebook
Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania’s Best Fishing Waters Wild Trout
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Straight Talk
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Notes from the Stream
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Northeast Best Ice Perch Lakes
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Tying the Zebra Midge
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Your Fishing Field Guide
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - “Iced” Fish: a Great Winter Release
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Midwinter is Sunfish Time
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Drilling Your Way to Success: Strategies for Ice Fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Simple Ice Fishing Equipment Modifications
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Presque Isle Ice
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 5 Hot Tips for Icy Trout
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Ice Safety Thickness Chart
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - What Lurks Beneath
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Bluegills on Ice
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Fishing with the Next Generation— Nurturing Your Future Angler from the Cradle to Canoe
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission’s Fisheries Biologists: Who are they and what do they do?
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Angle Jigging for River Walleyes
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Choosing the Right Minnow Rig
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Different Boats for Different Folks
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Highlights from the 2014 Boating Regulations Recap
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Winter PLAY Newsletter
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Southern Redbelly Dace
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Reflecting on the Water
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Currents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 56
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 57
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Pennsylvania’s Best Fishing Waters Wild Trout
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2014 - Cover4
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