Teach me to Fish Chironomids?

Whole lot more to Stillwater than just indy fishing...in summer my go to on this lake is prowling the shoreline, MK just nosing the skiff along, casting Beetles, Ants and Purple Chubby's alongside deadwood or under overhanging bushes, never knowing when a healthy bow or brown is going to take a slurp. And often without another flyfisher in sight.IMG_20241015_102455250 (1).jpg

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There is one other good thing about chironomid fishing nobody has mentioned.
If you get really good at it, you might earn the reward of getting your name written on an outhouse wall. 😉
SF
 
Bambooflyguy said:
I’ll fish with you @flybill……
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LFG! We'll just blow a hole or two in the ice! Where are my M80's...

Seriously anytime.. I really have a lot to learn on lake fishing.. I got schooled and had a blast with @Roper and @iveofione years ago. Torda and I used to occasionally fish boo rods on the lakes.. but steelhead and trout in rivers always call me first!

I generally fish the Olive Willy, easy to tie, simple to fish and I can smoke all I want..

So PM me.. let's go.. maybe even drag @jake out.. set him up with a chironomid rig.. and we'll troll around with a stogie and a bottle.. flasks are for quitters.. LOL! I'll bring glasses for the boat! Cheers!

Hit me up!
 
J Waltrous,
A great time to get into and hone your bobber skills is when they stock the local lakes after opening day. These fish are still stupid and looking for pellets! It’ll be 59 years fly fishing for me this year and I still have a blast with hatchery turds if they want to yank the bobber down!! I’m south of you in Burien and fish lakes year round. Tons of lakes around us that can be good indicator fishing. I carry three bamboo rods strung up in my pram and pontoon boat. One wet line, indicator rod and an emerger rod. Be prepared for any/all! Shoot me a pm, we’ll fish! (I’ve only been bobber fishing for 30+ years and still learning!)
Steve
 
Holy crap…..that was a super ADHD fast reply! Our son grew up with ADHD…..he’s 37 now and no longer the Tasmanian Devil…..
 
Bambooflyguy said:
J Waltrous,
A great time to get into and hone your bobber skills is when they stock the local lakes after opening day. These fish are still stupid and looking for pellets! It’ll be 59 years fly fishing for me this year and I still have a blast with hatchery turds if they want to yank the bobber down!! I’m south of you in Burien and fish lakes year round. Tons of lakes around us that can be good indicator fishing. I carry three bamboo rods strung up in my pram and pontoon boat. One wet line, indicator rod and an emerger rod. Be prepared for any/all! Shoot me a pm, we’ll fish! (I’ve only been bobber fishing for 30+ years and still learning!)
Steve
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How do you tie a pellet chironomid fly? Asking for Jake.. he's embarrassed to ask..
 
Bambooflyguy said:
Tie a pellet?? Come on Bill…..these are C&R (catch & refrigerate) lakes. Tie a pellet on the hook! Just kidding, I use small dark micro leeches on the bottom with usually a chromie 16”+ above.
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I really don't chrono fish cuz... the damn flies are so small.... my hands shake.... and my eyes, well... my phones get bigger.. and my eyes get worse.. I'm lucky to break even... seriously.. but I have done a little chironomid fishing..
 
J Watrous said:
I’ve had decent success with stockers using a coffee bean glued to a thread-wrapped hook.

I imagine a perdigon or just a bead on a hook might work for sub surface pellets?
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I've got a couple of pounds of Starbucks coffee beans.. lets test them out and get the fish all wired up and ready to fight!
 
Matt B said:
Charbucks is too burnt and blackened to match the pellet hatch. You need a lighter roast. Check the coffee talk thread for ideas.
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I have better ones.. Cafe Lusso and something other single source beans...
 
No joke, I have seen a "pellet" fly in a fly shop in Utah. Apparently, they work quite well near the base of the Flaming Gorge Dam, where there are a bunch of enormous browns who prefer hatchery pellets to more "natural" offerings, but there are some things even I won't do, so I have no firsthand accounts. I didn't look too close, but I think they were a thin strip of tan foam wrapped around the shank to form a "pellet," with a bright orange "hot spot" on top. I'm guessing there was lead under the foam to make it sink, albeit nice and slow, just like the "naturals."
 
Shad said:
No joke, I have seen a "pellet" fly in a fly shop in Utah. Apparently, they work quite well near the base of the Flaming Gorge Dam, where there are a bunch of enormous browns who prefer hatchery pellets to more "natural" offerings, but there are some things even I won't do, so I have no firsthand accounts. I didn't look too close, but I think they were a thin strip of tan foam wrapped around the shank to form a "pellet," with a bright orange "hot spot" on top. I'm guessing there was lead under the foam to make it sink, albeit nice and slow, just like the "naturals."
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I wonder what pellets emerge into?? Kibble? Dry emerger pellets….one way to get on board with the February dry fly lake challenge!
 
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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Here’s some of my chironomids that are in my gear bag I take out fishing….

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flybill said:
LFG! We'll just blow a hole or two in the ice! Where are my M80's...

Seriously anytime.. I really have a lot to learn on lake fishing.. I got schooled and had a blast with @Roper and @iveofione years ago. Torda and I used to occasionally fish boo rods on the lakes.. but steelhead and trout in rivers always call me first!

I generally fish the Olive Willy, easy to tie, simple to fish and I can smoke all I want..

So PM me.. let's go.. maybe even drag @jake out.. set him up with a chironomid rig.. and we'll troll around with a stogie and a bottle.. flasks are for quitters.. LOL! I'll bring glasses for the boat! Cheers!

Hit me up!
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flybill, I'm with ya on the single malt and cigar. Keeps ya occupied between indicator disappearances.
Check out my fly fishing craft ash tray: USN surplus

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Hey @J Watrous you could utilize the second method on my list that I've found to be quite effective.

1. don't fish that way or fish for trout

2. if you ignore #1, at the very least cast your bobber out there, let 'er soak for a little bit, then take a sip of beer and mid-sip, just set the hook even if you can't see yer bobber. works 72% of 28% of the time.

Tight Lines Brah!
 
In 2000 a random meeting with a rancher ended up with wife and I getting access to C&R at his off limits lake (fed by the Methow), seeing the size of the footballs doing laps around the perimeter, asked him WTH he fed them..."Purina"...not having any pellet patterns, made do with a grasshopper pattern that just got hammered take after take.
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