Chironomid Suspender

Materials

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Hook TMC 2487 #14-18
Thread Uni-thread Black 8/0
Body Uni-thread Black 8/0
Thorax Peacock Herl
Shuck White Antron
Wing Dark Dun CDC
Ribbing Small Copper Wire
Chironomid Suspender
Chironomid Suspender
Henk Verhaar

Henk Verhaar

Chironomid Suspender

The Chironomid Suspender is a good emerger pattern when fish are feeding just below the surface. The CDC will allow the fly to float just below the surface. The fly will sit in the water at an angle just like a natural Chironomid. The CDC is often presented as the wing, yet it really represents the gills of the midge.

CDC for Gills

Dutch tyer, Henk Verhaar can vary the floatation of the suspender by varying the amount of CDC he uses. He strips off the barbs of the CDC until he gets the amount he desires, these are attached by their butts about two eye lengths behind the eye with the tips extending over the eye. He doubles back the CDC into a loop wing that is about 1/2 the hook gap, secures the loop, and folds the remaining fibers forward so that they lean against the loop wing. His CDC Suspender Midge uses a Red Micro Tubing to mimic the body of the blood midge.

Tyer John Gordon utilizes a biot body with a thread thorax for the Biot Midge Emerger. The biots create a realistic segmentation. It’s simple, effective, and can be tied down to a size 26.

Biots for wingbuds

Colorado tyer, Rick Takahashi included many more parts to his suspender pattern, the Hanging Midge. He uses White Poly Yarn for the shuck or tail. The body is a thread body with ribbing for segmentation. This ribbing could be Silver Wire, Colored Thread, or Krystalflash. He uses Orange Goose Biots to represent the wing buds of the midge. These are difficult to find, so I substituted Turkey Biots. Two CDC feathers are used, a darker color for the wingcase and a Tan or White CDC for the wing (Gills). He ties this pattern in Black, Olive, and Gray on a TMC 206BL. The 206BL has a slightly up-turned eye with a deeply curved shank so that the point extends up to the midpoint of the shank for good penetration.

The Colored Emergers are designed by Nate Brumley of Dry Fly Innovations out of Meridan, Idaho. They are simple in their design as most “guide flies” are, yet very effective. Tied on a Daiichi 1270 in sizes #20-22, the extended CDC wing will provide enough floatation to keep this hook suspended within the surface film. The body uses Turkey Biots and thread ribbing with a fine coat of thin Fly Finish.

 

 

 

Variations

CDC Suspender Midge
CDC Suspender Midge

CDC Suspender Midge

Hook TMC 2487 #14-18
Thread Uni-thread Red 8/0
Underbody Uni-thread Red 8/0
Body Rust Micro Tubing
Thorax UV Red Ice Dubbing
Wing White CDC
Biot Midge Emerger
Biot Midge Emerger

Biot Midge Emerger

Hook TMC 2488H #18-24
Thread Uni-thread Olive 8/0
Body Brown Goose Biot
Thorax Uni-thread Olive 8/0
Wing White CDC
Paraquill PMD

Black Hanging Midge

Hook TMC 206BL #14-16
Thread Uni-thread Black 8/0
Body Uni-thread Black 8/0
Thorax Peacock Herl
Wingcase CDC Dark Dun
Shuck White CDC
Wing White CDC
Wingbuds Orange Sulphur Turkey Biots
Ribbing Small Silver Wire
Black Colored Emerger, White Wing
Black Colored Emerger, White Wing

Black Colored Emerger, White Wing

Hook Daiichi 1270 #20-22
Thread Veevus 12/0 Black
Body Turkey Biot White
Thorax Black Superfine
Ribbing Veevus 12/0 Black
Wing White CDC
Blood Midge Colored Emerger
Blood Midge Colored Emerger

Blood Midge Colored Emerger

Hook Veevus 12/0 Black
Thread Uni Thread 8/0 Gray
Body Turkey Biot Red
Thorax Black Superfine
Ribbing Veevus 12/0 Black
Wing Dark Dun CDC
Blue Wing Olive Colored Emerger
Blue Wing Olive Colored Emerger

Blue Wing Olive Colored Emerger

Hook Daiichi 1270 #20-22
Thread Veevus 12/0 Black
Body Turkey Biot Olive
Thorax Black Superfine
Ribbing Veevus 12/0 Black
Wing Dark Dun CDC