Light Green Chironomid Fly

About the Light Green Chironomid Trout Fly

I seldom enter fishing derbies but the BC Tel High Lakes Derby held every Father's Day weekend in June is a must! It is organized by the winner of the previous year and is more of a social event than a serious fishing outing. However, to its credit, fly fishing is the favoured method of trout pursuit in the plateau lakes to the east of the Central Okanagan Valley. A rustic trophy that depicts the annual winners back to 1978 is the Stanley Cup of this derby and while many say they hope they do not win because of the organisational effort to put on the following year's derby, it is indeed a special honour to be a winner! The largest trout caught for the 3 day weekend is the objective, not the quantity of fish caught, so I find that after taking one or two larger trout, all the rest are released. I was using a small green chironomid when I landed a trout that won this event for a third time for me! Most fly fishers in Western Canada favour dark chironomids but this fly is tied with a light green body, and can be extremely effective when the traditional black and brown chironomids are just not working!

Expert Tip:

Chironomid or Buzzer, on the day they can be serious trout killers.

Creator of this trout fly: Don Haaheim

Tier of this trout fly: Don Haaheim

Country of origin for this trout fly: Canada

This trout fly is designed to be fished on Still Water

Pattern Dressings

• Hook : Size 14.
• Body : Light green wool or floss.
• Ribbing : Brown size 'A' rod winding thread.
• Thorax : Light brown pheasant tail or rump feather.
• Gills : White ostrich hurl.
• Thread : Invisible mending.

I fish most of my chironomids deep with a long leader so winding a few turns of fine strip lead just behind the hook eye is the first step in tying this fly. Next, tie in a piece of brown rod winding thread along the hook shank so that it extends about four inches past the hook bend. Then tie in a short piece of the brown pheasant feather on top of the lead which should not extend more than 1/3 the length of the hook shank. Let the loose part of the pheasant feather extend back to the hook bend. The next step is to thinly wrap in the light green wool from the hook bend to the eye, leaving the untied pheasant feather still exposed. Then rib the body with the brown rod tying thread from the hook bend to where the pheasant feather is exposed and tie off there. Before pulling the pheasant feather forward to form the thorax tie in a small white ostrich hurl by figure eighting with your invisible tying thread at the hook eye to create a gill that protrudes about 1/8 inch from each side of the head. The final step is to pull the pheasant forward to the hook eye and tie off at that point. Make your final tie off, cement and you are finished. Mustad 9671.