My favorite Pale Morning Dun imitation: The Hi-Vis PMD Parachute.

This fly is the perfect indicator that fish also eat!  I use this fly constantly on the Paradise Valley Spring Creeks with another fly trailed behind it.  Rather than use an indicator, a nymph or emerger may be tied directly off of the bend with 6x or 7x tippet.  I usually keep the distance no more than eighteen inches.

Materials:

• Standard Dry Fly Hook TMC 101, Dai-ichi 1310, Dai-Riki 305, etc.
• Microfibbets
• Turkey Biots
• Antron Yarn
• Hackle (I prefer bleached grizzly)

Step 1:

Attach thread and tie on a microfibbett tail (6-8 Fibers) a little shorter than 1 hook length.

Step 2:

Tie in the post.  I use Orange Antron Yarn, but pick a favorite color.  Don’t forget black for those low-light days.

After figure-eighting the post I tie it upright.  Make sure to bring your thread wraps high enough to wrap the hackle on—-this is critical.

Step 3:

Tie in the turkey biot, I use a pale olive, but match to your local color.  I have seen and tied PMD’s the color of a Cheeto!

Step 4:

After wrapping the turkey biot forward to the edge of the post, tie on a bleached grizzly hackle.  Notice I strip the hackle about the length of a hook gap.  This allows you to start your first hackle wrap at the top of your thread wraps on the post.

Step 5:

Dub a small thorax around the post, leaving plenty of room to tie off hackle.

Step 6:

Wrap hackle on the post downwards, starting at the top, and tie off.  One tiny drop of head cement, and then take a little time to trim post in a small semi-circle.  (Or just whack it off straight like any other commercial-tied fly)