Chironomid flies ok lets see them! (pics added)

[Ryan Pultz]

Ok so I have dusted off the vice and it is tying time one flu I have never tied but does not look to hard is Chironomid so where to start where to start IFISH
So if you have them please show me some pics of your Chironomid flies from what I have seen they are pretty small (no problem I tie small nymphs) some have color some are just black so educate me please rp

ohh and I will be trying my hand at some this morning I will post a pic when I am done rp

[AndyK]

The problem I have with posting a photo of some of my chironomid imitations is that my camera isn't good enough for a fly that small! I tie chironomids from size ten (on a scud hook) to size 22. I'll see what I can do with one of the small ones...

I have two of Brian Chan's DVDs on chironomids. He says there are 2500 known varieties in North America and the predominant colors are red or olive. Seems I have seen quite a few that look more black. I have found them in trout from an almost microscopic size to huge ¾ inch bombers.

Here are a couple links with info on Chironomids:

Chironomids (http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/chironomid/chironomid.phtml)

Chironomid Homepage (http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/~ethanbr/chiro/)

[Ryan Pultz]

awesome thanks rp

[AndyK]

I tie and use chironomids up to size 10. However, in some local lakes, the trout get real selective and want small flies. Here are some smaller chironomids I have tied. The photos aren't very good because of the limitations of my digital camera.

Some size 22 that I posed on a dime so you could see the size. Top fly has a black body with a silver rib; bottom fly has an olive body and brass rib.

http://karamanos.us/Fishing/Flies/chironomid2.jpg

Size 18 chironomid with a red body and brass rib.

http://karamanos.us/Fishing/Flies/chironomid1.jpg

[blackdog]

It's not exactly as sexy as fishing nymphs, streamers, or dries, but this time of year, a midge fished under an indicator just off the bottom can be deadly!

I have read lots of Chan's work as well and there's lot of good info there. Despite all the varieties, it seems that most of my midges are black.

[Ryan Pultz]

from the looks of it I am on the right track I will try and post some pics tonight rp

[Kevin2023]

Andy, even though the pic is a bit blurry, you did an awesome job tying those tiny guys. I hope to be that good one day. I'm just starting out.

[NCL]

Ryan,

If you check YouTube Andy Burke has a pattern called a Pyramid Glitter Midge. It is tied in a large size but I have tied it on an 18 and it works. Also FlyFisherRepublic.com has a chromie pattern which I fish the majority of time. Also I tie some with just black thread and copper or red rib.

[Ryan Pultz]

thanks everyone !!!! rp

[Stonedfish]

Google Phil Rowley Chromie. The Chromie is a great chironomid pattern.

Also do a search under Brian Chan chironomid fishing. He is a guru when it comes to chironomid fishing knowledge and patterns.

[NCL]

Ryan,

I just received a call from a friend last night and he said he had about 40 grabs on the following midge pattern. A tiemco 2302 size 14, white tungsten bead, black thread, red holograph butt and black super floss body. This fly would seem to be a combination of an Ice Cream cone and Chan's red butt chironomid.

[Ryan Pultz]

Ryan,

I just received a call from a friend last night and he said he had about 40 grabs on the following midge pattern. A tiemco 2302 size 14, white tungsten bead, black thread, red holograph butt and black super floss body. This fly would seem to be a combination of an Ice Cream cone and Chan's red butt chironomid.


nice thanks!

I was busy why I work last night I have a few combos to try this weekend I will post some pics of the ones I got rp

[Noyb72]

After all the frostration working on casting technigue, line selection and learning the water. It's ironic that in the end the most sucessfull thing I've fished for trout with is a silly piece of thread dangling under a bobber called an ice cream cone!

It's the only chromie I tie and it's the one I catch fish with. usually use silver rib and have used tinsel rope for ribbing on larger (12-14) flies. I also sometimes use a 1x longer hook to make the fly look a little more "wormy." Works great on the penninsula lakes I fish. I'm not an expert by any means but this works for me.

Ron

[Ryan Pultz]

ok so I managed to get some pics of what I have been working on
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2065/2495333717_685c150770.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/2495334591_84cbc088c2.jpg
I kinda got into my wifes beads for a bead body chiron
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2495335439_279670e268.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2496160398_c99f1fd4a9.jpg

[AndyK]

ok so I managed to get some pics of what I have been working on
Nice start and selection.

If I am tying a fly to be fished below an indicator, I put a bead on it; if the fly is one I will be fishing without an indicator (slow retrieve with a floating or intermediate line), there is no bead or weight because I want the fly to stay suspended in the water.

After all the frustration working on casting technique, line selection and learning the water. It's ironic that in the end the most successful thing I've fished for trout with is a silly piece of thread dangling under a bobber called an ice cream cone!
I have found the ice cream cone to be a very effective pattern. However, I have caught more trout on a "frost bite" zebra chronomid (sizes 18 - 10).

BTW, this is what the real thing, a chironomid pupa, looks like:

http://karamanos.us/Fishing/Flies/chironomid.jpg

[Stonedfish]

Ryan,
Nice job on the flies.
A couple of other ideas for you.
Tie up some really big chironomids, up to size 8. Some lakes have chironomids that size and you'll hear folks refer to them as "bombers".

Also, as Andy mentioned, try using beads. If you have tungsten beads, ever better. The tungsten beads come in really handy when fishing deep water that might require a 20 + foot leader to fish effectively. They'll get your fly down quickly and keep it in the zone you want to fish.

[soulrider]

So these flies are fished under the water? or do you use a floating line with these and they float on the surface?

[Ryan Pultz]

So these flies are fished under the water? or do you use a floating line with these and they float on the surface?

There are several ways to fish them with a sinking line, floating line, or floating line with an indicator. Heck if you wanna fish in sin you can fish them under a bobber on a spinning reel ( I would never do that :whistle:)

[NCL]

So these flies are fished under the water? or do you use a floating line with these and they float on the surface?

I am probably going to mess the entomology up but I will give it a try. The chironomid is the pupae/nymph form of the midge or diptera fly. Examples of the flies from the various stages would be the blood worm, which if I remember correctly is the pupae, black beauty, zebra midge, serendipity, chromie to name a few in the nymph stage, and last the dry of which the Griffiths Gnat is the most common. There are many other patterns in the various stages but this names a few.

I mostly fish these patterns on a floating line with the pupae and nymphs under an indicator, obviously the dry fly is fished without the indicator. These patterns can also be fished just under the surface film and there are patterns that imitate this location. It really depends on where the fish are taking the bug.The most important part of the setup is how deep to fish the fly, which is usually done by adjusting the leader length.

Ralph Cutters undewater video on the various bugs really demonstates the various stages. :twocents:

[KillerDave]

Here's a couple of my current favorite chironomid patterns next to a stomach pump sample of the real thing. As you can see, you can't make chironomids too thin!
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL81/623942/9342885/318512516.jpg

[JohnOD]

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll94/johnod2/P1000132.jpg
John

[Catch 22]

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll94/johnod2/P1000132.jpg
John

Very Nice !!!

Alot of white bead heads. Success rates over gold/black? Just Curious. They all look AWESOME!!

[JohnOD]

The only reason those flies look good is because I didn’t tie most of them :D.

I like the white beads… or at least something white to imitate gills. I always try to match whatever is hatching but don’t get too caught up in size and or color. To me presentation is always top priority. On most of the lakes I fish finding the fish and presenting the fly at the proper depth is priority one.

Usually the majority of the midges hatching are on the small side… I don’t like to go under a size 16 as the smaller hooks are just not sturdy enough to let me land a hot fish in a reasonable amount of time.

When the bite is slow or the fish are shallow they do seem more willing to eat the smaller flies. I particularly like the simple green pattern with the gold bed in the third row down in the center. I often fish that one with a hopper/dropper set up when sight fishing the shallows.

John

[PDXSteelhead]

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i179/pdxsteelhead/DSCF1313.jpg

I found some micro tinsel that looks similar to peacock. Tied in on a size 14 and turned out to be a pretty good producer in SE Oregon.