Bodkin / Patterns

Challenged PMD

Dry Fly · Emerger · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly / emerger hook, 16-18
  • Thread Pale yellow / PMD 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Trailing shuck Amber/brown Z-Lon or Antron (small tuft)
  • Abdomen Pheasant tail or PMD dubbing (as needed)
  • Rib Fine copper wire (optional) (1 length)
  • Thorax PMD/pale yellow dry-fly dubbing (as needed)
  • Wing/emerger post Light dun CDC or poly (small bunch)
  • Hackle Light dun or ginger (optional, sparse) (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and tie in a short trailing shuck of amber Z-Lon at the bend, left ragged to imitate the trapped nymphal skin of a struggling dun.
  2. Wrap a slim abdomen of pheasant tail or PMD dubbing two-thirds up the shank, ribbing with fine wire if desired.
  3. Tie in a low emerger wing of light dun CDC or poll pointing forward over the eye area.
  4. Dub a slightly fuller PMD thorax around the base of the wing so the fly sits low in the film.
  5. If using hackle, wind one or two sparse turns of light dun through the thorax and clip the bottom flat so the fly rides flush in the surface.
  6. Whip finish behind the eye and add a touch of floatant to the CDC/wing only, leaving the abdomen to hang below the surface.
  7. The half-in, half-out posture imitates a PMD stuck in its shuck, unable to escape.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns