anyone?  inquiring minds want to know

30 or more years ago most choronomid fishing was done with a full sink line in deep water ( 20 to 40 ft) straight under the boat or with a floating line with about 15 ft leader and retrieved very very slowly in water under 15 or so ft. No indicator. Still like to do this now as you get a direct hit instead of watching the indicator and then striking. Most choronomid fishing is now done with an indicator as it holds the fly straight up and down and in  the correct strike zone and is very effective. Most people fishing without an indicator retrieve the fly way too fast. The old saying was to retrieve as slowly as you could and then double that time to retrieve.
Most of my fishing is in less than 12 ft of water and an indicator set over 9 ft ( the length of my rod ) makes landing a fish very difficult.
Bead head choronomid have two purposes. They get the fly down faster, particularly in deep water and they add some shape and shine to certain flies.
Most choronomid fishing is done with a fly line but I have seen fishers use a light mono line and an indicator and do OK. You could use small split shot to get your fly down to 20 ft or lower. Just keep the split about 4 ft up the line.
Give it a try, its better and easier on the fish and most times more effective than a worm or single egg.

Thanks Slayer and Lew.  

I personally find fishing with floats boring, but I am sure more effective, since the Chiro is only moved with the small ripples on the water (which is more natural than pulling the line by hand).  In the float set up, I can see a spinning rod to be just as effective.

My question regarding leader size relates to fishing different depths.  If I stay within the 12 feet that Lew stays within, that is one thing, but if one moves to different depths in a lake, how one manages the leader length situation?  I am not keen on changing leaders all the times... unless the Chiro live in a certain depth range that I am not aware of.

Most of my fishing is in less than 12 ft of water and an indicator set over 9 ft ( the length of my rod ) makes landing a fish very difficult.

 I bought some of those "quick release" fly-fishing floats.  They should solve the problem you are mentioning.

Thank you both.  I am very much of a newbie, and maybe asking dump question, but am trying to learn from the masters.  I am hoping to put what I am learning here to good use this weekend on a lake

The indicator/float is meant to keep your offering in the zone that the fish are feeding in. While at times this is just off bottom it's not always the case. The fish can be cruising at any depth for reasons of water temperature, oxygen content etc.
Also often time chironomids will change colours as they rise from the depths because they are filling with gasses. The chromie makes an excellent choice ribbed with various colours when fishing in the higher parts of the water column.

Cheers!

Flooney*

I've fished interior lakes with chironomids alot, with many techniques, trolled even...I've always had the most success on the flyrod slowly retrieving them finger over finger, inching them in just a bit at a time.  My favorite way to fish them is a slow sinking fly on either a sink tip or floating line with a really long leader and super light tippet.  For me, anyways, its just so much more rewarding than trolling them...it feels like I'm more active in the whole experience.  As for spinning rods, again its just one more degree of seperation from me and the fly (since i cant feel the line in my hand).  I've never used a srtike indicator, i guess it just reminds me too much of a bobber.  No real reason i dont like bobbers, maybe just the cheap red and white plastic!  They look like little cartoon explosives or something.  I'm no purist though, if mono worked better for me beleive me I'd do that!!!

Keep the tip of the rod in or just out of the water.  You do not want any slack line.  When you see or feel the line straighten, lift your rod to the 45 degrees.  This is usually enough to set the hook.  Also, always pinch the barbs.  I've found that I catch more fish.  The theory is that the barb prevents the hook from penetrating past the barb on light "hits" (Chironomids).  If the barb is pinched the hook will continue to set right to the bend, resulting in more catches.  All you need to do is to keep tension an the line and you won't lose you fish.  Besides, it's easier on the fish for catch & release.