How do you organize your chironomid box?

[Kirk Singleton]

I am about to do a major reorganization of all my chironomids into a new box. I have about 1500 or so. How do you set up your box?
-Color first then organize by size
-Size first and then organize by color,
-A mess without organization jammed in a box
Signed_OCD

 

[bakerite]

You have way too many to organize. I will gladly send you a mailer so you can send the extras to me in NEO. That will make your job much go much faster, Mine are currently organized by color first, size second.

 

[quilbilly]

 

[tkww]

Color, then size within color, then exact pattern (or ribbing variations, etc.). Plus a misc/new/let's-try-this section. But really, it's 6 of one and half-dozen of the other. You're going to want to match both, so doesn't really matter if you start with your #12s and then hit your olive section of 12s, or if you start with your olives and hit the #12 section of olives.

 

[hiddentalus]

Color then size.

 

[herkileez]

Reminds me of a story...( words my kids have learned to dread)
Some years ago, I was on a lake and getting no hits, while guy next to me was doing well. I didn't ask, but he offered up: "Chironomids !" I noticed quite a few floating around me, so I scooped a couple up and took a sample home (ala Brian Chan). Over the next few days, I tied up some very close imitations in several sizes. A couple of days later, I was back on the lake, again with no luck...and again, the guy was nailing them. He finally asked me what color I was using, and I said "Just like the ones on the water.
He said "That's odd, all I'm seeing floating are shucks." ......You can guess the rest....

 

[Salmo_g]

Color, then size.

 

[Riffling Hitch]

Size, then color

 

[Irafly]

Size then color then.... hah, who am I kidding, I have several boxes and after I tie, I grab one and try to find a spot. Sometimes I organize here and there, but then I ended stuffing things in again.

I do admire others though who take the time to make their boxes look nice. My lack of organization has likely cost me a fish or two while my buddies on a bender and I can’t find a pattern I’m kind of sure that I maybe have. It has also cost me tying more of a pattern than I needed to because I lost track of where something was. If you have ever fished with me, that kind of sums me up.

 

[Big Rob]

pattern/color, big to small

 

[Phil Fravel]

Row by size
Collum by color
Groping by ribbing color

this is my sons box. It was not compleat at time of picture. I tie and organize both boxes the exact same way so we can tell each other what row, Column and #1,2or 3 in the group

 

[Steve Kokita]

Frickin cram them in there and quickly close the lid! That’s my box....and I have a bunch more in smaller containers stuffed in my gear bag.

 

[Buzzy]

Frickin cram them in there and quickly close the lid! That’s my box....and I have a bunch more in smaller containers stuffed in my gear bag.
View attachment 274196

There does appear to be some semblance of organization - all those wormy things seem to be in one general location, eh!!

Maybe twice a decade I try to organize my midges. One time I went to the trouble of removing all of them onto a table top, sorting by size, color, shape and reinstalling. That works for what? How long? Until you tie a new pattern and decide you need ten of "Olive Dairy"; wait - now I want it with a clear glass bead, no - a white tungsen bead..... and how do I fit in the next dozen or so? Taking all the flies out and sorting them? No, too much trouble. Just start another box.
Olive Dairy - center row, top. My best ever stillwater BC trout. Wingbud midges. What a pain in the butt for me to tie, mine are just awful. One day we were fishing a nice lake near Kamloops - chromies were working really well. I had a blue beadhead chromie that was super effective. The next day the trout wouldn't look at it. Keith was railing fish with a (big bomber) "Purple People Eater" so of course I had to add a few of those, then in different shades and sizes..... (that's just one box, not saying how many I have).

 

[onefish]

A box or two for each size, colours organized within the boxes. A bit or time spent organizing on the front end mean much less time trying to find what you are looking for on the water.
Bloodworms get a separate box of their own.

 

[sroffe]

Sheesh, I got to get on the bench to keep up with you guys. I didn't know you had to organize them too. I just put them in a bin in a box and pull out one that looks like it will fish. My colors are black, red and other. Lots of other, in other sizes too.