Umpqua Challenged PMD Cripple Emerger Fly

Overview

The Challenged PMD from Umpqua imitates a Pale Morning Dun mayfly that is struggling to hatch, stuck half in and half out of the surface film.

During a PMD hatch, many duns never make it cleanly out of their shucks. Trout learn that these cripples cannot fly away and often feed on them over fully hatched duns. This fly sits low in the film with the profile of a trapped emerger, which is what selective fish on tailwaters and spring creeks key on during late spring and summer hatches.

How to Fish It

• Dead drift in the film: cast above rising fish on 5X or 6X and let it drift drag-free through the feeding lane.
• Timing: fish it through the morning and afternoon PMD hatch, especially when trout refuse an upright dun.
• Hard to see: pair it 18 to 24 inches behind a more visible dry, or watch for any rise near where you think the fly is.
• Downstream presentation: on flat water, a reach cast or slack-line downstream presentation puts the fly over the fish before the leader.

Choosing Color and Size

Choose 16 early in the PMD season and on rivers with larger PMDs, and 18 later in the hatch or on spring creeks where the naturals run smaller. Hold a natural next to the fly when you can and match the size.