How to tie: a Chubby Chernobyl

With: Fly Fish Food

The Chubby Chernobyl is a classic fly that many anglers swear by for dry-dropper fishing due to its buoyancy and effectiveness.

Materials:

• Hook: Firehole 618 (2X long, medium wire)

• Thread: Any strong thread like UTC 140 in a matching color (demonstration uses yellow)

• Tail: Flash material

• Foam: 3mm foam, trimmed

• Dubbing: Tan Ice Dub (for the body)

• Legs: Speckled rubber legs

• Wings: EP fibers (poly yarn works too)

Steps:

1. Prepare the Hook:

   • Start by dressing your hook with thread, wrapping it to the bend.

   • Tie in a piece of flash material for the tail, folding it over to secure it.

2. Body Dubbing:

   • Use tan Ice Dub or another dubbing of your choice.

   • Build up a bulky body by wrapping the dubbing from the tail forward, stopping a little ahead of the midpoint.

3. Foam Tie-In:

   • Lay your foam over the hook so it aligns with the flash tail.

   • Secure the foam with thread wraps. Advance your thread slightly forward to create the tie-in point for the legs and wings.

4. Rubber Legs:

   • Tie in speckled rubber legs, one side at a time, using a "fancy trick" to keep them secure.

   • Adjust and trim the legs to the desired length.

5. Adding the Wings:

   • For the wings, use EP fibers or poly yarn. Take a thick clump and tie it in at the tie-in point.

   • To angle the wings back, push the fibers forward slightly to create a "bulb" and tie them down securely.

6. Finish the Body:

   • Add more dubbing to fill in the gaps and spread the legs, ensuring the fly looks balanced and natural.

   • Continue wrapping dubbing forward, covering the thread wraps, and stopping just behind the hook eye.

7. Repeat for the Second Wing:

   • Tie in another set of legs and a second wing. Make sure to tie the wing slightly longer than needed to fold it back and secure it like before.

   • Trim the second wing so it’s slightly shorter than the first, maintaining proportion.

8. Finish the Fly:

   • After securing the final wing and legs, whip finish behind the hook eye.

   • Trim the foam head to your preference, rounding off any hard edges.

   • Add a drop of head cement to the thread wraps and dubbing for durability.