When Chironomids are around they tend to be around in large numbers and trout become quickly switched on and gorge on them. There are number of techniques to target chironomid feeders and one of my favourite is to fish three chironomid imitations with the heaviest on the point with a long leader on a floating line and fish relatively static. You will be surprised how many fish find your flies.
I first used this fly in Canada in 2016 at the Commonwealth Fly Fishing Championships. Tied by Josh Flowers from Tasmania I doubt that a session on the lakes passed without every team member tying this fly on for at lease some of the time. I have since learned that it’s a very successful fly in Central Tasmania at any time when damsels are around.
This is the first in the series of three versions of the same fly and is representative of the original bloodworm colour of the pupa as it emerges from the slime on the lake bottom. The second fly in the series is black with flashes of red representing the pupa as changes to a dark colour with varying amounts of red present as the transformation occurs. The third fly in the series is representative of the colour of the pupa as it reaches the surface the dark colour mellows and the pupa assumes a grey or olive colour similar to its terrestrial colour.
This is very popular Northern hemisphere fly and whist it more popular in still water it also has its uses in running water. Appealing to fish that are on mixed diet that includes mayfly nymph and midge.
This is a great dropper fly in lakes where there are populations of midge and my good mate Peter Walsh, who first came up with particular tie, fishes it with plenty of confidence and results. It’s a lot like my Bibio variant except that the dominant colours are black and orange as apposed to back and red and it is tied without a front hackle.
A streamlined fast sinking fly that will anchor your team … the UV mirage tinsel is just a fine line along the spine but is enough to ensure that the fly is seen at darker depths.
These little midges are easy to tie and appeal in a a whole range of situations. I like to fish them on a dry line with a longer leader either in a team of flies either static fishing or retrieving or as a single fly on a long leader to cover rising fish. They also work well as a river fly fished behind a heavier nymph.
Whilst the Bibio fly may have been originally designed as a blow fly representation it has found its place as a great top dropper fly in lakes where fish are midge feeders. That of course begs the question do fish take them as midges, or do they take them as some other insect more like a fly, but which spends part of its life cycle in the water, that just happens to hatch as the same time as a midge?
When browns and rainbows are feeding on hatching midges at the exclusion of all else this buzzer chironomid pattern and when a little lead is added for weight in the tie I find is a good choice for point fly in a team of three flies.
