Epoxy midge – holographic cheek

 

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. For me one of the keys to this technique is having your team of flies anchored so that you detect hits on your flies and this fly because of its epoxy is a good fly for that purpose.

Materials

Hook Thread Body Rib Cheeks Thorax Coating
#12 to 16 Hanak H300BL grub or Wingaersheek pupa Uni 6/0 thread Fine silver wire Holographic tinsel Uni 6/0 thread UV epoxy

Process

A
  1. Wind the thread in touching turns to one third around the bend of the hook tying in the wire as you go.

B
  1. Build up a thin crescent shaped body between where the wire is tied in and the 95% position on the hook.

C
  1. Wind the silver wire forward forming six or seven uniform segments on the rear 2/3 of the body of the fly.
  2. Take a couple of extra turns of the wire in front of that and worry off the excess wire.
  3. Return the thread 1/3 of the distance down the hook shank.

D
  1. Tie in matching cheeks of holographic tinsel along each side of the fly in much the same way as you would a wing casing but along each side of the fly.
  2. Build up a neat thorax a little thicker than the body.
  3. Pull the cheeks slips forward and tie them off just behind the eye of the hook.
  4. Whip finish and trim the thread.

E
  1. Cover the full fly with a thin coating of 5 minute epoxy.