PMD Umbrella Hook Pattern

[rgiffin]

As promised - here's my PMD pattern. This pattern is a killer as I think Obiwan can attest to.

I need a better freakin' camera...Any recommendations? I have a Nikon CoolPix 4800 ED

[obiwankanobi]

Very nice!!! These are interesting hooks to tie on since you don't whip finish behind the eye of the hook, but rather down along the shaft after wrapping the hackle. Keep up the good work!!!:thumb:

[rgiffin]

Obiwan - I actually still do finish on the head, goal being to keep the hackle part as flat as possible. I think finishing on the shaft would kind of defeat the purpose. Also, finishing on the head forces everything 'up'.

Sometimes a pain in the arse avoiding hackle when finishing.

[rgiffin]

This one is done with a CDC wing as Obiwan suggests. A little easier to handle than the WebWing and may be more durable - and will hopefully address the twisting problem. I like light tippets.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Gif,

Take a look at my picture gallery here. All the pics of flies were taked with a Nikon Cool Pix 4800. Somewhere in that gallery is a picture of the set up I use.

Very nice flies, by the way.

REE
1SG, USA (Ret.)

[rgiffin]

Thanks Top - just schooled myself in the 'flower' (macro?) mode of the camera. That's what I was missing. Need a new tripod as well, mine's busted. My follow-ons will be much better quality...

Found the picture of your setup BTW. May be the help I need in the lighting department.

[Joe Fitzpatrick]

I love the pattern....In fact, I just ordered the hooks from another thread you had Gif. Could you tell me how you made the extended body??? Thanks

[pittendrigh]

The Coolpix can make pretty good closeups. The automatic
focus can drive you nuts. It might help to set the background
much further back, so the camera is less tempted to focus on
the background instead of the fly.

A digital version of a 35mm film camera is best, like the Canon Rebel
series or the Nikon D70, D80 or better, where you can change lenses.
With the D70 (what I use) I put a closeup tube behind a 105mm macro
lense, which allows me to fill the entire image area with a #14 or so fly.
And I use a homemade light tent for illumination.
For ultra closeups, you have to use a bellows.
When you use a light tent, it sometimes helps to bump up
the color saturation setting on the camera a little (if you camera allows).

With an inter-changeable lense camera you can set exposure and
focus to manual, and set the F-stop for something tiny, like F-36,
which gives maximum depth of field. Then you shoot a half
a dozen photos at different time intervals until you find out what
exposure works best. There's no film being wasted, so it costs
nothing to work that way. And that way you get the perfect exposure.

http://montana-riverboats.com/Pages/Fly-Tying/Montana-Fly-Tiers/Sandy-Pittendrigh/Closeup-Fly-Photography/index.html

http://montana-riverboats.com/Pages/Fly-Tying/Montana-Fly-Tiers/Franz-Pott/Pott-Hackle-details.html

http://montana-riverboats.com/Pages/Fly-Tying/Montana-Fly-Tiers/Classic-Dry-Flies/Micro-Trico/index.html

[rgiffin]

Here are the instructions for my UH PMD (attached). It's a PDF, sorry about the size if anyone has a dialup.

[obiwankanobi]

Rg,

Great job on the fly and tying instructions. Oh no, I'm worried now, since for awhile I used to be one of the few that ever knew about these hooks and flies...:thumb:

So have you cast one yet with the CDC. Like I said, I too about 4 years ago was fixed on using raffia or treated nylon stockings for wings, but the damn things were like propellers in the air. On 5-6X tippet, this can create problems.

Tight lines

[rgiffin]

The CDC is definately a huge improvement over the Web Wing. Casts like a Dream. Thanks for the tip, it definately made the trip to Rock Creek worthwhile.

[Joe Fitzpatrick]

Gif,

Thanks for taking the time to put together the instructions....very nice!

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Hey Gif,

Thanks for the PDF, Buddy. Got it downloaded in no time.

REE

[rgiffin]

On the trip up Rock Creek I found a small channel braid at about mile 31 just downstream from Hogback Creek where the current wasn't as brutal as the main stem and the water was relatively clear. The fish started rising and they hit once or twice on a Green Drake pattern tied the same way. Not hooking up though I switched to this PMD pattern (with CDC) and got slammed by a 16" Cutthroat. After I let him go I floated another one over the same hole and picked up a 12" Cutthroat. Unfortunately that was the last PMD I had with me and the two fish destroyed the CDC. I took a 14" Rainbow on an orange stimulator and a Northern Pikeminnow on a pheasanttail nymph after that. On the way back down the creek I stopped at the Microburst and there was a Green Drake rise-fest happening. I put the drake pattern back on and as soon as it touched down a 12" brown took it. Again, last pattern and it was destroyed by the takedown.

I mentioned Green Drake but the pattern I tied was closer to a gray mayfly - but they took it anyway since there were multiple hatches happening. The drakes hatching at the Microburst were massive affairs (size 8-10). The Umbrella hooks don't come large enough to tie a good Green Drake using my method but I have been formulating a plan to implement a foam body tie. When I come off the road on this trip I'm gonna try a few things and if I'm successful I'll update my Green Drake thread here.

These patterns have proven themselves to me numerous times. I'm 'hooked' (pun intended). Only thing I would do is tie up at least 20 of these patterns for each fishing day because they are a little fragile. Sometimes drying them out completely restores them but I'd rather have new flies to go to in the event things heat up quick. I would probably simplfy somewhat tie at least 20 in each size in brown, olive, yellow, gray, and maybe even black.

[obiwankanobi]

Rg,

I like to use these hooks and if you bought the large size, then a Green Drake is possible. Here's the recipe for the extended body.

Take your bodkin and mount it in your vice, so that just the point protrudes through. Take a clump of olive dyed deer hair and stack it.

This part is somewhat tricky and you can if you want, coat your bodkin with thread wax to make it tacky. Put the clump of deer hair, with the tips facing the vice over the bodkin. With about a couple of inches of thread pierced in your fingers as well, wrap over that clump and trap your thread so that you can now work freely. Trust me the clump will want to roll on you so you still have to have a firm grip on the hair. Wrap your body to the length you want it and trim all but two hair tips for a mayfly tail.

Continue the procedure just the same and you could come close to a close replica.

Bob

[rgiffin]

Updated pattern - midge sized umbrella hook:


Hook - Midge Umbrella
Thread - Yellow
Abdomen - SRI Fine/Dry Stone Orange
Ribbing - Yellow Thread
Tail - Yellow micro-fibbets
Hackle - Honey, wrapped figure-8
Wing - Slate Gray CDC (doubled)


Should be good for some summer fishing on the Cedar or the Yakima

[dryflylarry]

Thanks for the instructions rigiffin. Doesn't the PMD have a light dun hackle and wing/whitish? Anyway, enjoyed your info. :)

[Steven Green]

that hook seems like a genious idea, I may have to get some for the summers dry season.

[flytyerboy95]

thoughs are sooooo tight

[rgiffin]

Updated pattern. The CDC wasn't lasting too long and often the fly shake doesn't restore it well enough. The older pattern also wasn't 'delicate' enough. I changed the wing to bleached elk hair and returned to wrapping the hackle around the hook shank. This pattern allows you to use Gink if necessary and represents the natural much better. It also floats much better. I took one down to the Cedar River this evening and out of many casts I was never disappointed at it's float characteristics. Only had one though and, of course, I lost it to a snag before the insect hatch went off so I can't report as to its fishing qualities - although I did have one rise to it.

I will tell you that nine times out of ten it landed correctly and from a distance looked just like a natural on the water. When it did land next to a natural I had a hard time picking out my fly. Now I just need verification from a hungry trout.