Chromies-A Chironomid Staple

Chromies should take up a large section of your chironomid boxes. So many of the throat samples I took this year contained chromies. Phil Rowley's first book, Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, taught me a lot about chironomids. This is the book that taught me about the chromie, arguably Phil's signature fly!

I like to focus on the right size, then colour. What is the most important factor when fly fishing with chironomids? ...getting the right depth!

My buddy Doug Pullan also shared several chromies on our blog this year. I have repeated a few because of an upcoming fly tying session we are having!

Over the last few years, the materials to construct chromies has evolved. I still use 6901 Flashabou and 6916 Flashabou a lot for the body material. Now, tyers also use antistatic bags and window tinting cut into 0.75 or 1.0 mm strips as a great body material. Also used are buzzer wraps with a variety of thread colours as an underbody and that really loud body material, mirage opal tinsel. I like them all. 

The original chromie, designed by Phil Rowley is still my favourite. Be sure to make them in a variety of sizes from size 12 to size 16. Phil like his chironomids slim and tapered. So do I! 

After looking at the above samples would you match the hatch? For the most part, Karen and I do but there are times where a chromie that stands out in the crowd, like John Kent's Bleeding Elvis or a Rusty Nail, can be the best chironomid on a particular day that yields the most hook ups.

Chromie (Phil Rowley Originator)

Hook: Curved Pupa Hook sizes 12-16

Thread: UTC red 8/0

Bead: Black nickel or Black size to match hook

Gills: White Unistretch

Rib: Red holographic tinsel, small; or UTC wire, red, small or Micro Tubing, Blood Red

Body: Flashabou 6901 (silver, sample above) or 6916 (gunmetal, sample below)

Mirage Opal Tinsel Chromie with a red thread or red holographic tinsel underbody

Rusty Nail

I like to use Alec Jackson Covert Hooks for Chromies as well as mahogany micro tubing as a rib material.

Adding cheeks (wing buds) on your chromies can add extra realism to your offerings!

Sometimes a thread underbody of a specific colour can be a difference maker. In this sample UTC blue dun thread is the underbody and below, UTC watery olive thread is the underbody!