Chironomid fishing

Strike indicators are an incredibly effective tool in stillwater fly fishing, but sometimes it is more fun to take the indicator/swivel setup off and fish a naked line.  Though it may feel very approximate at first, it can prove quite effective in some situations and can even out-fish the traditional static presentation.  I will typically fish a naked line when I am in water deeper than 15 feet and I know that fish are suspending themselves a little ways off the bottom of the lake. read more

Every few days, an email comes in on the topic of rod/reel/line setups for chironomid fishing in specific.  While it does not have to be overly expensive, having quality equipment goes a very long way in making your experience as enjoyable as possible.  Our boats and my personal arsenal are both set up with what I believe are the best tools for the job.  Here is a detailed breakdown: read more

Many days are spent cruising around the lake searching for bugs.  Even a small patch of mud that is putting off a half-decent emergence can be worthy of your time.  What about the other end of the spectrum?  The times where there are chironomids blanketing the entire water’s surface and you feel like you are fishing a needle in a haystack?

It is disheartening to think that every chironomid you see hatching is one that made it from the bottom of the lake all the way up without getting intercepted by a fish.  A chironomid hatch will turn fish on, without a doubt, but at what point does it begin to work against you?  Here are three techniques I lean on during a massive chironomid hatch. read more