Red and Black Chironomid

Here is another fantastic Chironoimid pattern to add to your box. These patterns are almost always effective, and this one in particular is one you will want to turn to often.

Begin with a scud hook with a silver bead. Slide the silver bead all the way back to the hook bend. Secure your thread behind the hook eye and cut off the excess. Now we will add the white overhang over the eye of the hook. I've used combed out Z-Yarn. Don't worry how far it extends over the hook eye, and cut the tag end off closely. Use your thread to taper those ends to the shank of the hook. Remove your thread and slide the silver bead back behind the hook eye. Now you can trim evenly the Z-Yarn extending over the hook eye.

Secure a bright red thread behind the bead and run it to about 3/4 of the way down the hook shank. A quill will be added here. Typically, I only use natural quills, but in this case I turn to a Semperfli synthetic quill as it is more transparent and will let the colors show through. Secure the quill and take touching wraps with the red thread deep into the hook bend, taking your quill along with you. Since Chironomids have slim bodies, don't create much thickness. Run your red thread up nearly to behind the bead and remove it.

Now, secure your black thread behind the bead. Take wraps about a quarter of the way back down the hook shank. This will cover a tiny bit of the red, but you want that red thread to dominate the pattern. Create a slight taper with the black thread up to the bead and remove it. Now, put your quill into a set of hackle pliers and begin taking touching wraps up to behind the bead. The transparent quill has a black line running across the top, and it will help you get the segmented look.

Grab a tiny wisp of hot orange ice dub. You will build the smallest of a dubbing collar just behind the bead. When finished, whip finish and remove your thread. Coat the quill with a very light UV resin covering - including the sides and the bottom. Use your bodkin to remove any excess that might be dripping, and be careful not to get the resin into your dubbing collar. Hit it with your UV light, and you are done. Great pattern. Give it a shot!