I hope you read a recent post where I talked about going Back to the River and all the mayflies we’ve seen on the water. PMD fishing has been good for us on some days and that made me think, I need to restock my fly box with PMD spinner fly patterns.
The spinner phase of a mayfly can provide some great fly fishing. It’s also a fly that’s very difficult to see on the water, either the natural or an imitation. For more information on spinners, check out my post about the Importance of Mayfly Spinners.
My go-to fly pattern for PMD spinners has been the Rusty Spinner Biot Body fly.
I use biots for many of the spinner bodies I tie because I like the way they look with a natural dark rib. A dubbed body will work as well, but why not fish something you really like?
I have a friend who asked me several months ago to tie up a dozen PMD spinner patterns that he could see. He has a difficult time fishing spinner patterns in the water he fishes, so he asked if I could provide him with a pattern more easily seen. He’s not alone.
Many fly fishers have problems locating and fishing the low profile spinner. If you don’t see the take, you won’t hook Mr. Trout.
Because I fish a lot, I can usually pick up my fly on the surface of the water. If you consistently use the same length leader, you’ll be surprised how your brain will find the fly at the end of your fly line.
But not everyone finds it as easy to locate their fly. It’s important to see it because fish take the fly without a lot of fanfare…they sip it under and barely leave much but a small ring.
I reviewed the many fly patterns I have on my Mayfly Fly Patterns page. One of the spinner fly patterns listed is Galloup’s Compara Spinner. Kelly showed me the fly when we stayed at Slide Inn back in 2017 and I featured it as a Throw Back Thursday Fly. Click this LINK to see it.
I sat down and tied a half dozen Galloup’s Compara Spinner this morning and have high hopes using it in the next few days. Notice the comparadun wing for the fly fisher’s visibility.
Here are a couple images from different angles…top view.
And the bottom view of the fly.
I like the profile from the fishes’ perspective and the comparadun style wing will help the fly fisher to see the fly.
And for those of you who might say “what about the biot body?” Well, I plan to tie up a few of those next.
I need to get those flies to my friend as well as add a few to my PMD fly box.
I’m still looking for a couple more fly patterns for back-ups.
Enjoy…go fish and stay safe!
