Pale Morning Dun Spinner Dry Fly

Fishing Tips

The rationale for tying variations using the alternative materials, may best be explained by a story. On the last day of my most recent trip to the Henry's Fork, I began casting to a large, rising fish at about 1:15 PM. I cast to the fish for three-and-a-half hours, trying some 20 different flies, primarily PMD imitations but also imitations of some other insects that were in evidence. During the entire 210-minute episode, the fish did not stop its slow, deliberate surface feeding for longer than perhaps a minute or two. The fish, which turned out to be a 21.5" rainbow, finally took the fifth emerger pattern I cast to it. This pattern was only slightly different to the others I had been using. The "winning" design was the Zelon-winged emerger. Early in our meeting, the fish had "bulged" to the transitional emerger with a CDC wing. The Zelon-winged transitional, the CDC-winged emerger, the PMD nymph, as well as the floating pheasant tail nymph (normally very effective) had all been ignored. An organism with a brain the size of a #4 shotgun pellet had stated a strong case for the angler not to become wedded to a single design!

Creator of this trout fly: Eric Pepper

Tier of this trout fly Type: Eric Pepper

Country of origin for this trout fly: Idaho, USA

This trout fly is designed on and fished on Rivers & Stream,

Pattern Dressings

No special or complex techniques are used in tying this design. Where I have suggested substitute or alternative materials, it is because when preparing for a trip I generally tie some flies using each material. If, for example, a fly tied with a Zelon wing doesn't work, I'll try one tied with the alternative material. Where I have suggested CDC as an alternative for Zelon, I personally prefer fishing flies tied with Zelon because of its relatively greater durability. Of course, in appropriate sizes and colours, these designs may be used to imitate any Mayfly. TMC 101.