Hi,
I know that the color of PMD’s (as with most insects) varies from ecosystem to ecosystem. I am trying to find the most common color(s) for a PMD imitation. I have gotten feedback that a light yellow is the color on some rivers and a cantaloupe color on others. This pattern tries to blend the two. I have noted that insects often have a slightly darker colored thorax than abdomen - thus this selection.
Looking for your ideas on the matter.
Thanks,
Byron
I have used PMDs with bodies of “Light Cahill” and “tan” superfine dubbing all across the western US with perfectly acceptable results. I have used other dubbing at other times when the bugs come off orange, or with a greenish tinge, but for me it is seldom worth the trouble to tie any other colors in advance.
I tie just about all mine with yellowish-olive biots. Fish have attempted to eat them.
Regards,
Scott
I have fished the Frying Pan many times, but not during a PMD hatch. I was recently told that the PMD there is cantaloupe in color…
The eastern version, we refer to as “sulphers” often has a tangerine glow to the thorax. I often two-tone my bodies accordingly on my dair hair and cdc fanwing (compara) sparkle duns. Often it seems that the fish seem more fussy about the shade of the wing than the body color. I have noticed on the same body of water, at different times of the year (this mayfly hatches on some river nearly every month of the year on a certain Tennessee tailwater) that the wings will go from light dun/almost tan colored to charcoal gray. The same size ‘sulphers’ on other tail waters range in body color and wing shade to. Most flies would be an 18-16 sz when tied on a TMC 101. The size is pretty constant. Your flies look great and would work for our local sulpher hatches should you ever come down to Tenn.!
aa
This is what I believe is the Frying Pan colored PMD
Looks pretty good to me Byron. You should do just fine with that.
If you can, ask A.K. Best. I am told he is quite the Dry Fly expert on the Frying Pan.
I am surprised you have fished the Pan quite a bit, but not during a PMD Hatch. Happens most days in the Summer from Mid June into September.
DG’s pattern of Orange with a Green tint sounds pretty close to me.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/031405fotw.php
Several years ago I was asked to do a FOTW on my Old PMD parachute as this is one I do fish a lot out here in the NW.
This is a very old pattern and I do not remember where or even when I obtained it. (65 years of tying & FF does leave some blank spots in the memory). I like the Mallard post because I can see/watch it better and it does work.
Denny
Byron, this is the closest picture i could find. This is a picture from Ben Olson, of a Gunnison River PMD. I do not know if it is the upper river or lower, but the insect itself is pretty close to those I have seen on the Frying Pan.
“cantaloupe” was my description of the color. I did not mean for it to perplex you.
I posted two photos a week or so ago. One was male the other female. Both were taken at DePuy’s Spring Creek in Montana last July. Same day photos. The females tend to be olive. The males far more yellow. And it is only the males that have the bulging salmon-colored eyes. The wings on both (DePuy variety) are pure slate gray. It is only the body that’s yellow at all. And only so on the males. The females are more docile and ride the water longer. Hatching males are animated–twitching more from end to end. And they fly off the water more quickly too.
PMDs from Darlington Spring Ditch (half spring water half irrigation ditch) 60 miles west, near Three Forks Montana, are similar and different, depending on how you look at it. The Darlington Ditch fies are far more yellow. But that yellowness comes from strong yellow streaks at the base of wing (which do not appear on the DePuy flies). I’d like to travel around this summer–during PMD season–and photograph up close on PMDs all over.
No, I really appreciate the information. I am tying some with what I consider a “cantaloupe” color (see above), and some lighter ones too as I am not sure if I am going to the Pan area or back to Idaho this summer.
Thanks for the photo!!
Byron,
I looked through my copy of A.K.'s Fly Box; he has a section on Melon Quills and PMDs (with specific mention of those on the Frying Pan). The Melon Quill was thought to be a separate species found only on the Frying Pan and the PMDs varied in color based apparently on stream location. Those closer to Reudi Dam were light olive in color while a few miles downstream, they had a pinkish cast. He tied his duns with 2 stripped/dyed quills, one pink and one cream; he also used this combination for the Melon Quill. They sell pre-dyed quills in a Melon color; don’t know if it’s a match for his.
Regards,
Scott
RE> Dub’s Gunnison River PMD.
It is worth pointing out: that is a photo of a male. His honey will be far more (monochromatic) olive. And the female doesn’t have those bulging orange eyes. I don’t claim the male/female color distinction really matters to the fly tier. Or to the fisherman. But it is interesting. And pronounced. There is as much color difference between the male and female PMDs (ephemerella dorothea infrequens … or sometimes excrucians) as between many other species.
Baetis (blue winged olives) are far more similar between male and female. The BWO males also have the bulging salmon colored eyes, while the female’s eyes are small and gray. But their bodies (male and female) are almost indistinguishable in the bwo case.
I wonder if we gents… uhh, never mind
As Byron originally pointed out, there will be some considerable river-basin to river-basin local variation in these bugs. But from what I’ve seen the theme does remain much the same: Females are more olive. Male’s are more yellow. The BWOs don’t vary much (between the sexes) by comparison. After spending (more than) a few hours photographing PMDs a few years ago I got so I could spot the males from a great distance. If the little blurry dimple was predominantly yellow I knew it would turn out to be male when it finally drifted down to where I was standing. Activity helped too. The males are far more animated and twitchy. The males are harder to photograph because they won’t stand still.
DePuy Spring Creek PMDs. July 2010
Female PMD:
Male PMD
=============
Madison River Blue Winged Olives. April 2008
Female BWO
Male BWO
Neat pix, Sandy. Thanks for posting them.
Over on the Lochsa, although I haven’t been able to get any in hand for close inspection, the PMDs seem to be really bright yellow, almost into the chartreuse range.
John
Thanks for all the photos (great!) and info.
Byron
Just so; color in the pics is pretty accurate.
Regards,
Scott
Scott,
Very nice ties!!!
Interesting!
Would you mind looking at my “maycad” pattern on Hans Weilemann’s site. Under Byron Haugh there. I was an early contributor. I think you might find that pattern interesting…
Thanks,
Byron
Byron,
Cool beans; I like the Maycad and the others there. Mine’s just a Harrop Hair-wing Dun; that, the Barr Viz-a-dun in the other pic and biot bodied parachutes are my go-to dun patterns for just about every hatch I fish. Simple, quick to tie.
Regards,
Scott