Get the Wings Right on the Chubby Chernobyl
Despite being a Swiss Army knife pattern, fly tyers seem to struggle with the wing on the Chubby Chernobyl
September 2024
The Chubby Chernobyl might be the best large dry fly ever invented. Despite being a Swiss Army knife for anglers, some tiers seem to struggle with the wing on this pattern.
Admittedly this is partially a matter of preference, but there’s a functionality component as well. When the wings are tied too sparsely or too short or not swept back, the whole fly looks off, becomes hard to see at further distances, struggles to hold up heavy nymphs or won’t cast aerodynamically. The wing material makes a difference too, Hareline Para Post Wing gives the best look to my eyes and adds water resistance to help floatation.
Tightline Productions is great but this version’s front wing is too sparse and the proportions are off.
Source: Tightline Productions
This wing is way too short. Imagine watching for a strike on a nymph suspended under this chubby from 30+ feet away while fending off sun glare. I'd rather start with a long wing that I can trim vs. a short wing that needs to be extended.
Oh boy. This one is tied by Charlie Cravens, a champion favorite tier. Functionally, I see the intention but, man, those wings don’t pass the eye test. I need a swept front wing not this volcanic eruption.
So what should the Chubby Chernobyl look like?
I’m looking for a fly with dense wings, where the back wing is cut shorter to sit under the full length of a swept front wing. The front wing should extend past the end of the hook slightly past the foam butt. Keep in mind, the wing will prop itself up and look more like a sail. Para Post wing tends to fuzz out with use, making the wing appear even more dense.
Here’s our take on the Chubby, including black wing tips to help see the fly against glare, and some gold dubbing on the butt as an additional trigger point. Plus, we’re letting the cat out of the bag about our alt-purple variant, aka Ice Dub UV Brown. A killer color for this pattern.
Consider Avidmax for future orders, it helps us out!
Recipe
Hook: TMC 5262 #6
Body: Brown Foam
Dubbing: Ice Dub UV Brown
Wing: White Para Post Wing. 1 strand folded over twice for back wing, 2 strands combined and folded over twice for front wing
Legs: Medium MFC Centipede Legs
Notes: Sharpie tip of front wing if desired