Chironomid Bomber

 Hi today I'm going to talk about a simple and effective pattern to fish on stillwater.
 This fly is supposed to imitate those bigger chironomids coming up on late spring time and fall, you can go all the way to a size 8, personally where I fish bombers are never bigger than a 10 and I like to fish a size smaller.
Material list:
dritz 9530W Braided Elastic, White, 8-Yard by 1/4-Inch
 UTC Ultra Wire Small Gold - Fly Tying
Strung Peacock Herl - Natural 6-8" - 1/8 0z
UTC Ultra Thread 140 (Dark Brown (UT1073))
PandaHall Elite Round Glass Seed Beads Opaque Colours White Diameter 2-3mm About 1500Pcs for Jewelry Making
Orvis Curved Nymph Hook


 1-Tie some gills in, I use some white elastic(Braided Elastic, White), and whip finish you thread.

2-Run a white bead thru your hook and over your thread and cut back the gills.

3-Tie you thread back in and tie some copper wire for ribbing, make sure to make a nice tapered body.

4-Wrap you copper ribbing all the way to the bead and tie it off.

5-Add 2 peacock herls behind the bead and make 2 to 3 wraps to create a thorax.

6- Whip finish your fly and you're done.

Fished under one of these indicators it's deadly.
Thigh lines
Rui Machado

My version of the WD-40

 Hi today i will show how I tie my version of the WD-40.

 This is going to be a black version of it but you can tie it in olive, brown, grey and white, they will all produce, but have in mind that with black I'm going for a midge imitation.

 It's a great fly for pressured waters, tailwaters and stillwater nymphing.

 Here is the material list:

-Krystal Dub-grey

-Orvis Scud, Shrimp, San Juan Worm Hook / Only Box Of 25, 18

-Wapsi Tungsten Beads Gold: 3/32")

-14/0 Veevus Thread (Black (B01))

-Whiting Grizzly Hackle

Now let's tie!

1- Smash the hook barb to get the bead to slide in, securely attach the hook to the vise and lay a thread base all the way to the middle of the hook bend. 

2-Grab a hackle feather and pull between  5 to 10 hackle barbs for a tail(mallard can be used here but this works as good and cheaper) and tie it in.

3-Using your thread make a nice tapered body.

 4- Grab you hackle again and pull from the feather about 10 to 15 barbs this time, they will be used for a wing case, and tie them in. 

 5-After your wing case tied in grab a small pinch of dubbing and make a slim noodle (less is more with dubbing, you can always had more if needed).

 6-Wrap you dubbing to form a thorax of about the same thickness of the bead and tie down you wing case right behind the bead(you should be able to pull the thread in the space between the bead and the dubbing to hide the thread).

 7- Whip finish you fly and you're all done.

PS: Some people add UV resin to the wing case, it will add some more durability to it, but if you want to whip 20 of these per hour you will skip this as well.

Hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned to the blog, this week will be dedicated to stillwater nymphing patterns and tips.

Tight lines!

Rui Machado 

My fastest and most effective fly for bass and pike

 Today we will talk about the pike bunny.
 It's a fly that can be tied in 2 minutes and will be one of the most effective streamers you will tie.
 You will need 4 materials:
-Hareline Crosscut Rabbit Strips
-Rabbit Strips
-Mustad 34007-SS O'Shaughnessy Stainless Steel Hook
-UTC Ultra Thread 210 (Black (UT3100))
 That's it, you can add eyes to the head of the fly but I don't think it's necessary.

 1-Start by layering a base layer of thread all the way to the bend of the hook:

 2-Tie your preferred color of rabbit for a tail:

 3-Tie in a section of crosscut strip the same color has the tail and give it a couple of wraps depending on the size of the hook, you want to be halfway in the shank of the hook and tie it of and cut the excess:

 4- Tie another section of crosscut strip with your preferred color (I like to do a contrasting color compared to the tail), and wrap the material all the way to the eye of the hook, for you don't crowd the hook the easiest trick is to wrap all the way them take half a wrap back:

 5-Make a nice head of thread and tie of your thread:

 6-This is optional now, I like to use some Loon UV Resin on the head of the fly, you can put some eyes on it before you coat with the UV but like I said before it's not something that will make a difference on the fishing ability of the fly:

Note: bigger hooks go with magnum rabbit strips, 1/0 and smaller regular rabbit is perfect.
 That's it, after you tie and fish one you will be making them in all different color combinations you can even think off.
 Give them a go this spring for any freshwater predator on your home waters and you will be surprised on what a simple fly can do.

Tight lines everyone!

Rui Machado