Overview
Created by Phil Bair in the early 2000s, the No-See-Um features a unique upswept hackle technique that sets it apart from traditional dry flies. The lack of a tail or trailing shuck allows the body to sit deeper in the surface film, creating a more realistic silhouette. This pattern can be tied in a variety of sizes and colors to match different hatches, from tiny midges (#22-24) to larger mayflies like PMDs and green drakes (#14-16). The simplicity of materials makes it a quick tie once the upswept hackle technique is mastered.
Related patterns
Behavior & presentation
- Natural Behavior
- Freshly emerged duns pause on the surface film while wings stiffen, floating helplessly through feeding lanes during concentrated hatches. Large numbers of these tiny adults provide sustained feeding despite minimal individual size.
- Where Trout Eat It
- Fish rise in calm flats, eddy margins, and along current seams where surface-drifting adults accumulate in predictable lanes.
- How to Fish It
- Present with drag-free drift through feeding zones, matching the passive float of natural duns unable to escape surface tension.
- Best Water
- Focus on back eddies, tail-outs, and slicks where smooth water allows fish to inspect and intercept drifting adults.
- Strike Type
- Delicate sipping rises with minimal surface disturbance indicate selective feeding on small targets.
Fishing strategy
- Rigging Suggestions
- Can be fished alone on 5X-6X fluorocarbon tippet or as the indicator in a dry-dropper rig with a small nymph 18-24 inches below.
- Seasonal Timing
- Most effective April through October during spring, summer, and fall when midges and mayflies are active. Peak productivity occurs during May-June and September-October when Baetis and PMD hatches are most reliable.
- Pro Tips
- The upright hackle makes it reasonably visible but may require close observation in choppy water. Apply gel floatant sparingly to maintain the low profile.
Where to fish it
Rivers anglers pair with this fly, with local shops that stock it.
River details and fly shops from River & Run, our sister site.
Entomology
Tiny mayfly duns rest in the surface meniscus immediately after emergence, drying their wings while drifting downstream in vulnerable post-hatch flotillas. Fish sip these miniature emergers delicately because their massive numbers during concentrated hatches provide sustained feeding despite small individual size.
- Order
- Ephemeroptera
- Family
- Ephemerellidae
- Common name
- Pale Morning Dun
- Organism
- insect
- Life stage
- dun
Pattern details
- Stillwater
- Moving Water
- Rocky Mountain
- dead-drift
- baetis-hatch
- midge-hatch
- drake-hatch
- classic
- modern
- searching-pattern
- low-clear-water
