Written by Mike Gentry

Some days it pays to think beyond the box.  We were fishing the pay to play lakes on the Justesen Ranch in April and the fishing was slow.  It was too early for much in the way of insect hatches, but of course the ever-present midges were flitting about.  However, the wind was not cooperating and was making it hard to fish a given area.  On a lark, I kicked up to the shallow inlet arm of the lake which was a bit more sheltered.  Some BIG fish were working in three feet of water but were only occasionally taking the midges on top.  I pawed through my midge box and found an iridescent pupa I must have tied playing around on a lark one day.  I’d never used it, and thought “what the hell”.  That led to an incredible afternoon of fishing, with a dozen and a half takes including a 26 incher on a #22 pupa.  It is the simplest of all recipes.

Hook:                                               Size 18-22, curved wide gap, heavy wire.   
Thread:                                            8/0, black
Body:                                               Hairline Krystal Flash Peacock
Ribbing:                                           Fine copper wire

Tie in a copper wire and let it extend off the back of the hook.  Tie in a strand of flash and wind back and forth three or four times over the hook from the bend to the eye, tie off and trim.  Wind the ribbing wire forward to the head, tie off and trim.  Form a head with the thread, tie off and clip.  Put a small drop of head cement on the head.               

I tied on the pupa on my dry line and cast it out.  I had some snarls in my line on the spool, so occupied myself clearing the snarl with the fly just slowly sinking.  When I looked up, I noticed that my line was slowly moving away.  Lo and behold, I was into a 22 incher that had casually picked it up.  I fished for several hours, only very slightly drawing the fly toward me on occasion.  The takes were subtle as the fish casually took in the morsel and drifted on.  It was an education.