Bodkin / Patterns

Don's Lil Brown Chironomid

Midge · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook 2X-long curved chironomid hook, 16 (also tied in 14, 12 and 10 for bombers)
  • Thread Wood duck (body), rust (thorax) 8/0

Materials

  • Magic bead Brown bead (3/32 inch, one)
  • Antron gills White poly yarn (A couple of wraps' worth)
  • Stretch Flex / Midge Flex over-body Translucent brown material (One strip)
  • Wire rib Gold/copper wire (0.2mm, about 6 turns)
  • Thread thorax Rust thread (A few wraps)
  • UV resin finish Clear uv resin (One even coat)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the 3/32 inch magic brown bead on with the wide hole toward the eye and push it back. Start the thread behind the eye, take two or three wraps over a small clump of white Antron, trim, whip finish, cut, and slide the bead forward over the butts. Pull the gills back over the bead and snip them to size. That sets the gill length and spreads them nicely.
  2. Restart the thread behind the bead and lay a short base layer.
  3. Tie in the 0.2mm wire right at the front, tucked in tight to the bead, and bind it down parallel along the side of the shank so the fly stays flat and even rather than lumpy.
  4. Wrap the thread back and forward to build a slight taper, then take the thread down to the bend.
  5. Cut the end of the Stretch Flex on an angle so it tapers to a point, and tie it in at the very base of the bend. Wrap the thread forward again, building a little more taper, and finish behind the bead.
  6. Wrap the Stretch Flex forward: pull hard at the start so the rear of the body is thin and the thread colour shines through, then ease off the tension as you climb so the body thickens toward the front. Tie it off behind the bead and pull as you cut so it seats flush.
  7. Rib with about 6 evenly spaced turns of the wire from tail to bead, tie off and wiggle the tag until it breaks.
  8. Whip finish the body thread and cut, then start the rust thread behind the bead and take just a few wraps for a small thorax, the colour bridges the brown body to the magic brown bead, then whip finish and cut.
  9. Coat the fly evenly with UV resin, enough to cover but with no built-up blobs, and cure with the light to finish.

Tying videos

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