How to Tie a Half Chubby Chernobyl

Producer: Tim Flagler

“Although there’s nothing quite like a full Chubby… Chernobyl, this Half Chubby has a lot going for it as well. It’s a good bit easier to tie, floats exceptionally well and takes less effort to cast.

Believe it or not, a jig hook works very well for this pattern, here a Lightning Strike JF2 in size 10. Begin by getting the hook firmly secured in the jaws of your tying vise, with the angled eye pointed down.

Your thread should match the foam body and dubbed underbody. Here, I’m using UTC 140 Denier in purple. Get your thread started on the hook shank just behind the downturn and take a few wraps rearward before snipping off the excess tag.

Three strands of UV tan Krystal Flash are used to add a little bit of shimmer to the back end of the fly. After snipping the strands free from the hank, I’ll snip them at their midpoint and use one half for the fly and keep the rest in a safe place for the next one. Place the midpoint of the strands on top of the hook shank and take thread wraps to secure it. Bind the rearward-pointing portion to the near side of the hook, all the way back to the start of the bend. Then pull the forward-pointing portion back and anchor it to the far side of the hook. Take touching wraps forward, first back to the initial tie-in point, and then down the shank a ways.

I like UV purple Ice Dub for the underbody of the fly. Pull an ample clump free from the packet and use it to create a slender 3” long noodle on your tying thread. It should be lightly tapered at both ends. Start taking wraps with the noodle so the dubbing begins behind the hook eye, then continue taking touching wraps rearward with the dubbing ending right at the base of the tail. Take a few wraps forward until your tying thread hangs at about the hook point.

You can use strips of 2 mm craft foam for the body if you like but I’ve found a medium-sized Beavertail Foam Cutter from River Road Creations makes everything look more curved and natural. Press the cutter into the foam sheet with the tab end just slightly off the edge of the foam. Keep pressing down on the cutter until it completely cuts through the foam and you can free the form from the sheet. Poke a small hole between the two bulges at the tab end. Insert the hook eye into the hole then bring the tab in line on the underside of the hook and take tight wraps of tying thread to secure it. Make sure it’s locked down really well.

Create another slender dubbing noodle on your tying thread, this time about half the length of the first. Take wraps with this noodle to cover up the foam and the thread wraps you just made. End with your tying thread a little ways in front of the hook point.

A drop of super glue, here Fly Tyer’s Z-ment, placed as shown, although not essential, will add a good bit of rotational stability to the pattern. Fold the forward-pointing portion of the foam back then give the front of the fly a squeeze to help set the adhesive. Now take wraps of tying thread to further lock down the top piece of foam.

Get hold of the Krystal Flash tail and trim it off so it extends just a bit beyond the back edge of the foam.

For the legs of the fly, I’m going to use barred purple, medium-sized round rubber legs. Sili legs will also work well. Snip a single strand free from the hank and fold it in half to form a loop. With the loop pointing forward, place the midpoint of the segment on top of the fly and take 2 or 3 tight thread wraps to anchor it. Pull on the rubber leg material to coax the strands to either side of the fly.

White polypropylene floating yarn is used to create a nice tall, easy-to-see wing on the Half Chubby. A card-width segment should be plenty. Place the yarn on top of the fly with one end in line with the back edge of the foam. Secure it in that position with 2 or 3 wraps of tying thread.

Go back to your dubbing one final time and pull just a small amount from the packet. Use it to create a very slender, short noodle on your thread. Pull all the wing material rearward and down then take wraps with the dubbing noodle to keep the wing pinned down. When you reach bare tying thread, bring it underneath the front of the fly and take a couple of wraps around the hook eye.

Pick up your whip finish tool and use it to do a 4 or 5 turn whip finish, seat the knot well and snip or cut your tying thread free. Snip the front rubber leg loop then pull down on the material so you’re left with rubber legs on either side of the fly. Trim the upper part of the polypropylene off so it’s the same length as the lower part. Pull back on the rear legs and trim them off even with the back edge of the foam body. Then trim the front legs off even with the back legs. Trimming in this manner really helps with consistency between flies. A drop of head cement, here Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails, applied to the thread wraps behind the eye will greatly increase the fly’s durability.

And that’s the Half Chubby. Will you get the same results with it as you do a full Chubby? I guess it really depends on what you’re going for, both have their uses.”