No-See-Um
Cheech - June, 2022
If you have fished in Utah, you have probably heard about the Mother Shucker or the No See Um fly patterns that are great little dry flies for midge or baetis hatches. These two patterns are the products of Phil Bair here in Utah, and let's just say that you don't want to fish behind him on the river during a midge or baetis hatch. They are designed to eliminate all unnecessary parts of the fly to focus on just the parts that make it work. I have to admit, when I saw this upswept hackle technique I was a bit skeptical, but I definitely added a row of them in my box for the baetis hatch. This pattern was so effective that I now have them in all sizes and flavors from midges, baetis, PMD's and even green drakes!. It's hard to pinpoint why this pattern is so good, but I think the lack of a tail or a shuck really lets the body sit further into the water, and the wing stays nice and vertical. Whatever it is, the fish really can't resist it! Kudos to Phil on this fly!
