Dry FliesSerendipity Variant
A slim midge pupa pattern built with a twisted Antron yarn body under a spun and clipped deer hair head, keeping the profile small while still riding with some buoyancy. The clipped head sheds water easily, holding the fly at whatever depth it is fished.
Spring, Summer, Fall
Beginner
Trout
Feb 2026
Overview
The body is a length of Antron yarn twisted tight to give it a segmented look without adding bulk, while the head is spun deer hair, clipped down close to the hook rather than left full and flared. That combination keeps the fly slim and buggy at the small sizes it is typically tied in. It represents a midge pupa wriggling its way up through the water column as gas builds beneath its skin before it can break through the surface film. Fish it static or on a slow retrieve at any depth, from just under the surface to near the bottom, in moving water or stillwater.
Where to Buy This Fly
We only link to fly shops we trust. Some links are referral links, which may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Materials
- Hook:
- Tiemco 2487 #14-22 (or equivalent light wire scud hook)
- Thread:
- Dun 8/0
- Body:
- Antron yarn, twisted tight
- Head:
- Spun deer hair, clipped to shape
Behavior & Presentation
Natural Behavior: The twisted Antron body forms a segmented, translucent-looking profile close to that of a rising midge pupa, while the clipped deer hair head buoys the fly just at the surface as if the natural is hanging in the film.
Where Trout Eat It: Fish take these pupae anywhere from mid-column up to the film, often sipping them just under the surface where they gather before emerging.
How to Fish It: Dead drift it under a strike indicator or on a greased leader just under the surface, allowing the fly to hang with minimal movement in the current.
Best Water: Work slow current seams, flats, and slicks where midge pupae concentrate before rising to hatch.
Strike Type: Expect subtle sips or a slight indicator dip as fish take the fly with barely any surface disturbance.
Fishing Strategy
Rigging Suggestions: Fish on a 9-12 foot leader with 5X-6X tippet, either suspended under a small indicator or greased to hang just under the film.
Seasonal Timing: Productive year-round, with especially strong results during cold-weather midge activity when few other insects are hatching.
Pro Tips: Fish it in multiples on a team, spaced along the leader, to cover different depths during a hatch when pupae are rising steadily.
Entomology
Midge pupae rise slowly through the water column toward the surface, wriggling as gas builds beneath their skin to help them break through the film. Trout intercept them at any depth during this vulnerable ascent, often keying on the twisting motion alone.
- Order
- Diptera
- Family
- Chironomidae
- Common Name
- Midge
- Organism Type
- insect
- Life Stage
- pupa
