Chan’s Chironomid Bomber

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber, Brown /Red

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Tying Instructions

1. Attach a white painted bead to the hook. I’m using a size 7/64″ bead on a size 14 TMC 2302. Use 1/8″ beads on hook sizes 10-12 hooks

2. Attach the thread behind the bead. Don’t worry about anchoring the bead as the body material will do that.

3. Wrap a thread foundation to the bend of the hook just above the point of the barb.

4. Attach the wire ribbing to the top of the hook shank with the wire inserted within the bead cavity. Secure with thread wraps.

5. Secure the wire along the top of the hook shank with thread wraps to the bend of the hook and wrap back up to the bead.

6. Take a piece of Scudback and trim the end into a point. The material is secured to the top of the hook shank with the thread wraps enveloping the material arouind the shank.

7. Secure the scudback to the bend of the hook and wrap the thread back to the bead.

8. Wrap the scudback with overlapping wraps up to the bead and secure with thread wraps. Trim off the tag end of the scudback.

9. Wrap the wire ribbing forward with about 6-7 wraps and secure at the bead. Trim off the tag end of the wire by moving the wire back and forth. It will break at the bead. Do not use scissors to cut the wire.

10. Create a thread thorax behind the bead with the thread building up slightly on the bead. Whip Finish.

11. Optional: a coating of SuperGlue or Head Cement will bring more durability to the pattern as well as an enhanced translucency. I’m using Sally’s Hard As Nails, Clear. Do not coat the bead.

12. The finished fly.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 2302, #10-14
Thread	Dark Brown Uni-Thread 8/0
Head	Pearl White Dazzle Bead
Body	1/8 Brown Scud Back
Ribbing	Red Wire, Medium

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber was designed by Brian Chan, a fishery biologist out of Kamloops, B.C. Brian designed this pattern in response to the large size of chironomids that occur within some British Columbian lakes during mid-Summer. These patterns are tied on sizes 10-12 of a 2XL curved dry fly hook, such as a TMC 2302, and utilize a white metal bead for the head. The white bead imitates the white gills of the chironomid but also helps to get the pattern deep within the water column.

White Bead

During times of algae, use of a white bead can be a great advantage over white fiber materials from keeping the pattern clean of algae. The thread wraps that anchor the bead are usually a dark contrast to the bead and will represent the thorax of the chironomid. Another tyer, British Columbian Fly Fishing Guide Kelly Davison, actually came up with the idea of using white beads on an earlier pattern known as the Ice Cream Cone midge.

Colorations

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber utilizes a flexible vinyl material for the body. This can be marketed under a number of names such as Stretch Flex, Midgeflex, and Scudback. It is spirally-wrapped around the shank with a wire rib. There are three colorations that Chan prefers:

• Black/Red – Black body with red rib is perhaps the most common pupal color combination found in stillwaters.
• Black/Silver – The silver rib helps give the impression of trapped gases beneath the pupal shuck.
• Brown/Red – Brown chironomid pupa are common in slightly tannic or algal stained waters. The Flashabou body and bright red wire rib make this fly stand out in such waters.

Sierran Lakes

Within Sierra waters, we don’t see Chironomids as large as those in British Columbia but we do have some areas in which sizes 14 to 16 work well in mid-summer such as Crowley Lake, Bridgeport Reservoir, Truckee River, and EF Walker. Pyramid Lake, outside of Reno, NV, will have some huge chironomids and patterns in size 8 to 12 are recommended. Once you get into the smaller sizes, you can use some smaller width body material such as Life Flex or Flex Floss.

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber, Black/Silver

Hook	TMC 2302, #10-14
Thread	Black Uni-Thread 8/0
Head	Pearl White Dazzle Bead
Body	1/8 Black Scud Back
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire

Chan’s Chironomid Bomber, Black/Red

Hook	TMC 2302, #10-14
Thread	Black Uni-Thread 8/0
Head	Pearl White Dazzle Bead
Body	1/8 Black Scud Back
Ribbing	Red Wire, Medium

Chironomid Bomber, Maroon

Hook	TMC 2302, #10-14
Thread	Dark Brown Uni-Thread 8/0
Head	Pearl White Dazzle Bead
Body	1/8 Red Scud Back
Ribbing	Red and Silver Wire, small