Teach me to Fish Chironomids?

DimeBrite said:
I've only fished chironomids one time, it was at Lone Lake about 8 years ago. It was really easy to learn and I landed at least 20 rainbows that day. Trouble was I found it to be supremely boring. I took off the bobber and used a slow retrieve to make it more challenging. My friend had beer in the boat and when offered I said "I never drink while fishing". By the end of the day I drank 6 beers 🍻. It was great fishing with my friend, but I retired from chironomid fishing after that day. :ROFLMAO:

Anyway, one suggestion is to pay attention to the structure of weed beds and anchor near a hotspot of chironomid activity. The trout will cruise back and forth at such locations sucking up chironomids. Bobber down!
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Although I've fished chironomids more than once , I am with you , wanted to learn how , caught fish ,but that sitting in one place waiting is not for me . Not too bad out of a drift boat with a friend , get in a lot bull shitting . :D
 
iveofione said:
Chironomids are particularly effective at lunchtime. After spending the morning kicking, rowing, casting and stripping, stopping to eat a sandwich and have a drink is the best possible time to fish cronies. As soon as you anchor up and start to enjoy your lunch it will be bobber down and a need for at least 3 hands. Watching one of my fishing buddies do this with TWO rods out and have both bobbers go down almost at once makes for some fine entertainment!
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As someone who struggles with the patience requirements of mid fishing, this is actually top-tier advice! If you’re just gonna be sitting there anyway, then take advantage.
 
1) Try everything other than bobber flyfishing that previously worked.

2) If everything else doesn't work regretfully rig up floater with bobber, a tippet that puts the stupid chironomid where the fish finder tells you the little bastards are hanging out...or the theoretical depth and structure they could be hanging out...and attach chironomid pattern that caught one large fish three years ago.

3) Watch bobber intently for at least 10 minutes before being startled awake by your own bear-like snoring.

4) Spend the next two hours fruitlessly changing tippet/fly suspension depth/patterns....and wondering if having one of those travel CPAP machines aboard would allow a more productive stillwater nap-time. Or maybe methamphetamine would help.

5) Chuck the whole chironomid thing, go back to whatever previously worked, which now works just fine and fully demonstrates the fickle nature of trout appetites.

6) Resolve to watch more youtube videos of chironomid experts endlessly hauling in huge fish on size 22 flies, artfully edited so you don't have to watch the expert painfully work through steps 1-6.
 
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I am among the least expert chironomid fishermen, but I do catch fish on chironomids under an indicator. If watching a bobber is boring, then so is watching a dry fly when lake fishing. Admittedly, I'd rather be watching a Chopaka emerger than a chronie indicator, but they sure do have a lot in common. For instance, the most likely time for a fish to strike either is when I momentarily look away at a deer on the hillside or an eagle flying around. I get way more strikes than hookups. When the water is 20' deep or so, then I go to straight lining with my chironomid patters on my full sinking line, fished straight down with the bottom fly 1' above the bottom. At least this way I feel the tug regardless of where my eyes are looking. This was super effective one day at Aneas a few years ago, as I was hooking fish just as fast as I could cast and let the line sink down again. The biggest problem with this kind of fishing is the frequency with which hooked fish swim around the stern anchor line - - grrrr!
 
Huh! All this indicator/bobber hate. I've fished with @Starman77 (a few times, eh, Rex?); he considers "indicator" fishing going to the dark side. Me: I love indicator fishing. But I can get distracted and bored if the bite is slow, especially when I"m "staring at a bobber". As @troutpocket suggests indicators can be efficient (backtrack to his post; he's a superb indicator fisherman) way to target fish.

When I can't seem to get a trout to look at a suspended chironomid, I change up what's hanging on that leader. Often it will be a jig (more often than not). And unlike static chironomid fishing; I jig the indicator to make the jig jig. Sometimes that doesn't work. That's why I'm always with at least two rods (usually three in my float tube and four in my pram for a quick change to a intermediate or sinking line).

Each to his own.
 
One other option if you can't find someone to go with is to just go fish a lake that is well known for chironomid fishing.
Watch how others are fishing and see who is catching fish, then ask them for help, suggestions, pattern recommendations etc.
Most people are willing to help. I did this on a well known eastern WA lake after I started fly fishing. The angler I talked to gave me some flies and had me anchor up near him so he could help me get things dialed in. I was thankful for him taking the time help me.
I'm not a great chironomid angler, but I've tried to repay that favor a few times over the years. Helping someone then watching their indicator bury is a lot of fun. I'll never forget one gentleman's reaction who had never fished chironomids before on a well know western WA lake when he started catching fish.
SF
 
What I generally rely upon is my practice of arriving at the lake at least 30 minutes after @iveofione has already launched, so by the time I'm afloat he's got what works already dialed in. Saves shitloads of time!

He's been known to come ashore and declare that the lake "is dead" before I even unload and rig my kayak. I respect his judgment (if Ive ain't gettin' bumps ain't nobody gettin' bumps), and we head off to another more productive lake.
 
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I have only indicator chronie fished in shallow (<8ft) water, but I've had success without ever leaving that bobber still. I like tungsten bead chronies on thin flouro tippet so they sink fast. Cast it out, let it sink, then start finger wrap retrieving the line. It's slow, I pick up the line at like half an inch per second but it works.

I dont think chironomids are static critters. If they're in the water column, they're moving at least a little. Usually up towards the surface. I find I catch more fish if I dont let it sit, but I can choose to let it sit if I want. Without an indicator you lose this ability
 
a lesson learned...in stillwater really spread those flies out, in feet not inches, to cover the lanes.
If fishing 10 feet of water, I'll fish a chironomid/balanced leech/bloodworm on the bottom, a nymph or soft hackle 5' up.
Stillwater is an acquired taste, much like fishing small streams with small fish, some love of it while others find it mildy entertaining at best.
 
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Wayne Kohan said:
Everyone is wanting to tell you how, not show you how. I'm not the greatest and have my limitations but if you want to come out to the east side some time this spring I'd be happy to show you what I do. I even have a 2 man boat that makes it a bit easier and I'm retired so as long as I'm not visiting grandchildren or going to the doctor, I'm pretty much open.
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Wayne, let's make it happen!
 
J Watrous said:
I feel completely ignorant about fishing chironomids in still water and this year’s resolution is to learn and fish new-to-me methods. Leeches, minnows, stripped patterns for bass and trouts, sure. Chironomids and all that? I know the concepts but am scoreless and clueless.

I have pretty severe ADHD and learn quickly by seeing and doing in person, but and no amount of books or YouTube or podcasts over the past several years has made a dent in my ignorance.

Is anyone willing to teach me on the water this year? I’m happy to pay gas, supply beverages, supply/buy breakfast/lunch/dinner.

I’m just north of Seattle, but willing to travel.
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Attach your dry fly to your bamboo rod.. add a Chronomid as a dropper.. maybe two.. chill with Bill in the pram.. smoke cigars and drink whisk(e)y.. wake me up if I actually manage to catch something.. other than a buzz...
 
flybill said:
Attach your dry fly to your bamboo rod.. add a Chronomid as a dropper.. maybe two.. chill with Bill in the pram.. smoke cigars and drink whisk(e)y.. wake me up if I actually manage to catch something.. other than a buzz...
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Just need a bamboo rod.

Will a canoe substitute for a pram?
 
J Watrous said:
Just need a bamboo rod.

Will a canoe substitute for a pram?
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I have done a bunch of successful bobber-cating from a canoe, with one or two people. It helps a lot to have two anchors; it's nearly a necessity. The bummer about two anchors is that I have had days where I can't seem to keep fish out of the dang anchor line.
If you're gonna fish a lake with two people in the same boat/canoe, bobber-cating can be a good way to do it. It's a good way to shoot the shit and drink beer while fishing, like @DimeBrite mentioned. I'd be happy to take you out and show you what I do (which is not always successful) but I have no idea when the next time I will fish a lake will be if I'm honest. Actually, maybe at the PNWFF shindig, Mayfield. Doubt I'll bobber fish there.
 
Hey Jake, lots of options with your fly club, Overlake Fly Fishing. I'm doing the stillwater class again in March, though at three two hour secessions, I'm gonna guess you would be up the walls and out the heating vent.

We do have lots of outings also, look for one to lakes like Lone, Pass, Winthrop, Nunnally, Lenice, Leech, Corbett, or Back to the Wall. The Holiday Auction had a day with me on the lake after an evening of tying, maybe I can double that up?

And remember that Chironomid fishing is not all indicators; naked line, dabbling, and emergers are included. Rattlesnake, Cooper and Rat at 50'? And of course the fun of throat sample, match the hatch, and then get home and tie up bug you will likely never see in that size and color again. But that is part of the game...

Ron
 
About a decade ago I returned to lake fishing after an absence of 30 years or so and quickly learned that consistent success would involve learning the "chironomid" game. For me I found it to be anything but boring. Learned to fish two rods with 2 flies (here in Washington) and found a systematic approach in locating location (watch birds, hatching bugs, etc.), the proper depth (read the depth finder), the pattern of the hour, the most effective retrieve, whether to use an indicator, etc. has kept me busy with little time for boredom. As my game improved my catch rates with chironomids rose remarkedly!

As an aside with the change lake "ecosystem" many of the larger bugs that were the backbone of my earlier lake fishing are now not near as abundant. As a result, the fish the seem to focus more on chironomids, often the smaller sized bugs. On some of the more popular fishing pressure seems to result in more selective fish demanding better presentations.

Have fun!

Curt
 
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