Hi,
Haven’t given up on the little guys. Think this might do well during PMD hatches on the Frying Pan this summer??
That’s a nice-looking fly. I’m sure it will do well.
Your post did remind me of an issue I’ve never really made up my mind about.
Real PMDs tend to vary in size from #16 to #18. There may be sub-species things going on. Sometimes they’ll be small this week and bigger two weeks after that.
But no matter how you tie them and who you are, artificial imitations tend to be fat and over-dressed compared to the real thing. Some of the guys (guides) I used to work with liked to go down in size, and fish flies a bit smaller than the real ones–as a way to compensate for the inherently fat and slightly over-dressed appearance of fuzzy stuff wrapped on a hook, as compared to the real bug.
I tend to think almost any pattern will work, as long as you are in the ballpark: mostly the right color and mostly the right size. But there are a fair number of spring creek guides who will choose a #20 imitation, in order to fish a #16 bug. I’m not taking sides on that concept. Just mentioning it.
Pitt:
I hear you on that. I must say, though, that I came upon a nice PMD hatch last summer on the Gardner River in Yellowstone. They were quite small, but the smallest PMD dry I had was a size 18 like the one above. It worked quite well.
Who knows, a 20 might have worked even better. But, I figure that they better know that if they don’t like my 18’s, they won’t get smaller in such a pattern. In sizes 20 or below, I use a simple CDC wing with a thread dubbed body…
Tied this #20 just now for what I do in #20 and below for dry PMD’s
I was on the Frying Pan yesterday morning. The fish I interviewed, and there was a bunch of em said, “that fly would be just fine”.
You lucky duck!! Live around there??
Is that a little pink in the body?They seem to like pink in their pmds.
Yes, I live around there…I rarely fish drys, but I can say this…The PMD’s on the Pan have a melon color. It’s the same color as the meat of a ripe cantaloupe. Your pattern and color will work just fine, but if you want to match the hatch, turn up the heat a bit…Just my opinion.
My emerger pattern for the Pan…
I replaced the wing with foam. I still dont think the abdomen is bright enough, but I havent found Cantaloupe goose biots yet. Have fun Byron.
P.S. I wouldnt consider myself “lucky”. For the past ten years I would classify the Frying Pan as a “crap hole”. Lots of poaching going on, and a new breed of guide that just doesnt give a hoot. I go there as a LAST resort.
Do you fish the Roaring Fork? Above Basalt or below?
Both, alot!!! My favorite river
Dubber:
Went back to the vise and came up with this size 18. Work on the Pan or Fork?
Thanks,
Byron
By the way, any hidden, REASONABLE rental units anywhere around there? Most are quite expensive for a poor fly fisherman coming all the way from Kauai…
Above…
Below…
Yeah, it’s a fun river.
I posted a bunch more, but went over the maximum allowed for this forum.
Dubber:
Beautiful fish. I think I may have tried above that bridge on the opening photo…
Did you read my last post? I have never found any reasonable housing in the area. Often stay down in Glenwood Springs and even there it’s pricey for pretty much ugly old rooms.
You know, Rifle and Silt are not that far away. Try Grand Junction. You are only 90 minutes away from there, plus you are only 60 minutes away from the Gunnison, and 45 from the Grand Mesa.
I was hoping you would recognize that bridge. Most folk do not realize it is public above it (hint hint).
Byron, I have watched you post flys…Most all that you have posted will work. You are a VERY good tyer, and I imagine equally good at fishing. I think you and I both know, you will not have trouble bending a fly rod. 
Back in the day, when I fished the Pan with regularity, I used an Ausable Wulff, with a “pinkish” cast on that river, to fish on top, in sizes #16-#18. I got 'em at Chuck Fothergill’s shop in Aspen…
Years later, I noticed the similarity of the color of the stream bottom - to the Frying Pan - in this place:
My daughter Ally…rockin’ it on the Stillwater River, MT…so I came up with this nymph for use on that water, which is a little further up the road for me and very much - less crowded:
PMD NYMPH #16-#20
That Ausable Wulff pattern still works, on the Stillwater, I tie myself now…
PT/TB:p