Chironomid gills?

[flymph]

There are a multitude of ways to add, mostly white, gills to chironomid patterns including antron fibers, foam, white beads, etc. I have seen the antron fibers tied like a bow tie and others simply protruding forward.

First, I wonder how important any gill material is to the fish as far as a triggering mechanism, inviting a strike. That said, I would greatly like to hear your thoughts on gills as follows:
1. Do you feel they are necessary and why?
2. Which materials do you prefer and why?
3. Please share your method of tying in gills.

Much thanks in advance,
Flymph

[steve collyer]

Well they probably aren't strictly necessary at all!

If you're fishing lightweight herl-bodied patterns mostly in the first few feet of water, from an imitative point of view it makes sense to include them.
I tend to keep the breathing filaments on my patterns fairly short - about 2mm max both at the tail & head. The head ones I tie with a few more fibres than at the tail.

The best materials I've found are a small bunch of soft white hen hackle fibres from the base of the feather. These are simply tied-in & the tips squared-off with scissors.
White marabou is also pretty good, as is antron wool.

I suppose they may be a trigger point for the fish in a fly like a Shipman's Buzzer, simply because the ones I've seen are often massively exaggerated at maybe up to 5mm long on a size 12. Combined, they're as long if not longer than the body...

Perhaps there's not quite so much logic in using them on heavy varnished patterns fishing well down & this is good from a practical standpoint, since it's a real faff to varnish a size 14 buzzer with tiny, soft gill parts on!

[shortea]

I am not sure if they are necessary but use both options just in case one day i do see a difference. As Steve says i would imagine they are more worthwhile on hearl patterns fished higher in the water. Material wise i like turkey marabou or the whispy part of a hackle .Some materials will draw varnish up through the breathers more than others due to capilliary action.I always wet the breathers before varnishing
I always tie my shipmans with the head breather shorter than the tail one-I fondly imagine the tail one can also be viewed as the shuck in the process of being shed

all the best Nick

[roll cast]

I put them on half my buzzers, marabou or feather down is good, antron is better as I doesn't absorb as much varnish and white knitting wool

[maharg]

Dont think they are really needed, but look good. With Steve in using white marabou.