Fulling Mill 3D Glass Chironomid Fly

Overview

The 3D Glass Chironomid from Fulling Mill is a slim stillwater pupa that imitates the chironomids (midges) trout eat in huge numbers in lakes and reservoirs. A smooth, glassy body catches and reflects light gently, giving the fly a lifelike shine without overdoing the flash.

Chironomids rise slowly from the lake bottom to the surface to hatch, and trout cruise the water column picking them off. A slim, segmented pupa hung at the right depth is one of the most productive ways to fish a lake, and this pattern gives you a clean profile in three of the most useful colors.

How to Fish It

• Under an indicator: suspend it at the depth trout are feeding, often a foot or two off the bottom, and let the wind drift it.
• Find the depth: if you aren't getting takes, change the depth by a foot at a time until you find the fish.
• Slow retrieve: on a floating line with a long leader, use a very slow hand-twist retrieve.
• Sinking line: fish it on a sinking line and retrieve it slowly back toward you.
• Spring through fall: chironomids hatch in lakes almost all season and are often the main food in spring.

Choosing Color and Size

Black is the classic chironomid color and a strong silhouette. Red matches bloodworm-colored pupae and shows up well in deeper water. Dark Olive is a natural choice for weedy lakes and clear water.

Use size 10 for big chironomids, size 12 as the all-around size, and size 14 for smaller hatches and wary fish. Matching the size of the pupae you see is often more important than color.