I have a Chironomid dilemma. I probably have about 20-30 chironomids in my spring box. Most are in a size between 22 and 28. I fish in the Pacific Northwest for rainbow trout, mostly in lakes. I have a few in a size 12 and even less in a 14. When I went to Cabela’s website and looked at Brian Chan’s DVD, I noticed most of his flies were offered in a size 10, 12, and 14. My questions are;
Are my flies too small? Should I tie some more in sizes 10 & 12? What is your best advice, given that I’ve never been a chironomid fisherman before.
Thanks ahead.
Your flies are fine.Just add some bigger ones in there. Spring and summer I’ll use 10’s down to 28’s. Although the 28’s I seldom use- they were given to me. It all depends on the lakes you fish. Chan and Rowley are Canadian’s and fish those lakes mostly. Maybe up there they have larger chirono’s than we do. 
Do what I do. Put two on and experiment. One large and one small.
Chromies and Sno Cones rule.
[quote=“Capt.BillyWhizbang”]
Your flies are fine.Just add some bigger ones in there. Spring and summer I’ll use 10’s down to 28’s. Although the 28’s I seldom use- they were given to me. It all depends on the lakes you fish. Chan and Rowley are Canadian’s and fish those lakes mostly. Maybe up there they have larger chirono’s than we do. Do what I do. Put two on and experiment. One large and one small.
Chromies and Sno Cones rule.[/quote]
Early in the spring and summer start with the larger ones and then proceed to the smaller side of things. I think this is the way it is for most all lakes out west…
I lived in East Central Alberta and that is the way it was there, and I will soon find out for South West Alberta, which shares a border with Idaho, Montanna, BC which shares a border with the Pacific Northwest.
First and formost ask the regulars around the lake and check out the lake you wish to fish and the lake will not lie, that is for sure, she may not tell all her secrets right away but …
Sounds like I may have to invest in a seine net. Am I right?
I am not much of a chironomid fisher myself but from what I know, what has been said already is pretty much right on. The bugs are bigger up in the Kamloops region than we have around here and bigger in the spring is the right way to go. 12’s to 16’s and save the small stuff for late season.
As for the Seine, check this previous post.
Brian uses mostly sizes 16 to 12. The bugs themselves range from 24’s to size 6!
Chironomids colors vary , in order of frequency. black, brown, red , tan, green, and cream.
This info is gleaned from His book Morris & Chan on flyfishing trout lakes. Plus He spoke at our club once.
I use his red butt chironomyd and the sno cone most in size 14 and 16. Start one foot off the bottom if they are hatching but the trout are not rising for them. When the trout start to rise , switch to emergers in the film or adult patterns on the surface.
I use a pheasant tail nymph in size 18 during chironomyd hatches. I fish it a little faster than the chironomyd flies. I find it less boring because you barely move chronnies but you can slow strip in PTNs plus I think they catch as much as chronnie imitations do.
I let my line sink to just near but not on the bottom .
I use an ultra slow retrieve for chronos one hand twist should take at least 5 seconds then rest it. count to 5 do another rest and a 3rd after the 3rd rest do a quick one or two inch quick strip. then begin the sequence all over. You can also occasionally on the way to the surface let it drop back down a foot or so like the real bugs do. It is very boring this way however it is very effective.
Thats why I prefer the Pheasant tail nymphs I use a 2 second wrist twist a shorter rest and a more frequent strip retrieve. Works for me.
There is a small fly only lake close to where I live that has a spring hatch as large as an 8. Absolutely huge chironomids and the fish go crazy for them.
I read an article in Fly Fishing magazine once (don’t remember the author) that indicated a general rule of thumb for stillwater trout. Start the day out (first light, early morning) with a larger presentation. As the day wears on go smaller, until later in the afternoon. Then switch back to a larger fly again. Of course, you could always go tandem with one big trailed by one smaller…
In lakes I use mostly sizes 12 to 16 with good success. Watch for shucks in the water as a clue to the size. The Chironomids in streams tend to be smaller and there I use the tiny ones.
try these
sorry no tutorials available 
also try a bigger bloodworm pattern on the point close to the bottom, all chronomids start as a bloodworm before they take on their own colour variations