Chironomids—large midges that live in landlocked bodies of water—are an essential pattern when targeting stillwater species or lake-run trout. The larva variation of this fly represents the stage in its lifecycle when it lives within a couple feet of the bottom of the lake, feeding on algae and bacteria. Midge larvae can be a variety of colors, with black, olive, and red being some of the most common.

For lake fish accustomed to living near the bottom where chironomids are most concentrated, it’s a great idea to have one on your nymph rig as your bottom fly. Even after leaving a lake to spawn, lake-run fish are still programmed to eat chironomids and we’ve had a lot of success fishing them in the inlets of river systems close to large lakes as fish move upstream to spawn.