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[DC1980]

Here my first attempt at some leaches.

[HOOK]

sorry brain fart, think I meant 5/64" but then again maybe I didn't MC    good tapering can hide the larger bead

also on "my" pattern I don't use a gill for local trout so there was no need to mention it. You are correct that almost every pattern should have gills unless there is a white bead. You can use tons of different things for gills but I like Uni-stretch, Antron and this wicked material from Canadian Llama

I think its this stuff but not 100% because I only got a tiny bag free with my order and I'm totally out but it made a difference on a couple days http://www.canadianllama.com/dubbing/lustre-plus-nylon?cPath=32&

OR this stuff  --- http://www.canadianllama.com/flash-materials/magic-flash




P.S. - that's not black ribbing on the copper one 

[DC1980]

Ok here is my second attempt.  I think they are getting better but still need more practice.

[DC1980]

I think they look too fat!

[mastercaster]

I think they look too fat!

Ya…they are still too bulky but better than your first ones.  Keep with it and you'll get the hang of it.  I don't tie chironomid patterns on scud hooks anymore but I dug up a photo of some when I did …..this taper is about right. Using a smaller bead will make you tie a thinner body right from the get go.  Chironmid pupa do not have an out of the ordinary big head so there's no point in exagerating it.



 

[DC1980]

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[DC1980]

[DC1980]

[DC1980]

Here are some more recent ties.  Hope to get out soon and give them a shot.  Anyone think lafarge would be a good idea with this nice weather?

[Shawn6o4]

Here are some more recent ties.  Hope to get out soon and give them a shot.  Anyone think lafarge would be a good idea with this nice weather?

I was at sasamat on friday morning to try some new flies, lots of fish rising and hooked a few but lost them due to trying to figure out this fly fishing thing lol. Lafarge is probly really slow and rice lake is pretty much frozen.

Those recent ties look really good ( to me a noob ) I used similar ones at sasamat along with a purple leech working best.

[HOOK]

Your a quick learner 

These are starting to look really good.

One thing though is ribbing. You see how MC's flies have 6-7 ribs on every fly ? even on a size 20-16 you should have 5-6ribs. Stay conscious of how thick your ribbing material is and choose it according to the size your tying. On size 14/16 I use XS wire on a standard scud hook, size 12-8 size S or maybe flashabou as a rib. If I use the longer style hooks (Tiemco 2302 for example) then its more about what looks right because the fly is longer so a size 16 of that hook is almost the equivalent size of a #12 scud hook. I tie on a few different hook styles for certain patterns or sizes

Take a little bit and google what chironomids actually look like. It will help you get the right look on proportion, gill length, ribbing amounts............etc

[DC1980]

Thanks Hook.
Do you think I need to carry on further down the hook to add the extra ribbing or do I just need to tighten my spacing between raps?  Also do you finish your ties with anything? I tried some brush on crazy glue but I wasn't happy with that outcome, now I have been using a clear nail polish just so they last longer and I think it hides some of the imperfections. Also I have sure noticed that when using white beads it seems I have to use 1 size smaller as that little bit of paint adds to the size of the bead.  These were size 12 in those pics with a 7/64 bead, I tied some more with white beads after but I used a 3/32 bead and I think they look better.

[HOOK]

I coat mine with brushable Loctite glue, Krazy glue also comes in brushable. Tons of people use Sally Hansen's "hard as nails" clear to coat theirs. I just don't like how it takes longer to dry but I do have some.

here is a list of the chironomid coatings I have tried so far over the years -

Sally Hansens
Hard as Hull
Loctite
Krazy glue
regular head cement


one thing though if your using "scud back" material to do bodies then don't use Loctite or Krazy glue as it melts the scud back material and will ruin your fly(s) I either don't put anything on those type of patterns or I use the Sally's

When I do mine I usually like to go half way into the hook bend. gauging your ribbing is done by using wire or whatever material you want for your rib but use the proper thickness. Your only putting a ribbing on to create the body segments of the actual bug, we use different colours more for attractant than actual bug matching.

have a look at some of these
https://www.google.ca/search?q=chironomid&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=i2_nUrulHcGIogTe0IGQAw&sqi=2&ved=0CK8BEIke&biw=1301&bih=544

You'll notice that almost every single one in its Pupa stage has 7 distinct ribs/body segments. In its bloodworm stage they can have a lot more segments depending on size of the bug itself