Tying the PMD Ice Emerger

On certain rivers, PMDs rule the summer.  I have been in some great PMD emergences and have great success on various PMD emerger patterns.  Here is one for you to try out.  It's a variation of my Baetis Ice Emerger.  Give it a try the next time those big fish are eating emergers right below the surface.  Drop it off an adult to track it better and have fun!

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Tying the Mercury RS2, PMD

Here is a short video on tying the Mercury RS2.  This is the PMD version, but you can change colors easily to match any insect you want to .  I only tie these in PMD and Adams Gray color.  Maybe black as a third color.  Do me a favor and tie your tails a bit shorter than I did.  I didn't notice that they were a bit long until I looked at the fished fly in my hands.   I was in a hurry to get this done.  See what happens when you rush things?


Tying the PMD Mercury RS2 from Juan Ramirez on Vimeo.
A quick and easy tie, this is a true guide fly.  Easy to change colors and to get a different look, this thing is effective in PMD, gray and black to name a few.  I would keep the tails a bit shorter than what I did here.

Juan's Ice Emerger Tutorial

The Ice Emerger is one of my favorite flies to tie on once I see fish rising to emergers right below the surface. It borrows from the great RS2 pattern and the floating nymph, two of the best patterns out there. It is fairly easy to tie once you figure out what you are doing. I also tie this one in a BWO pattern in sizes 20-24. You can either dub the body or make it a thread body. It's up to you.

PMD Ice Emerger
Hook: TMC 101, Dia Riki 310, #18-20
Thread: UTC 70, 8/0 Uni-thread, Brown.
Body: Thread body or dubbing, Hareline Dubin, #24, Cholocate
Tail: Microfibetts, divided
Wing bud: Ice dubbing, U.V. Light Yellow
Thorax: Hareline Dubbin #24, Chocolate.


Thread Ice Emerger

BWO Thread Ice Emerger
Tie On two Microfibetts and split them.

Dub with the color that you want the body to be. This is Hareline Chocolate dubbin.



The wing color for PMDs that I use.

You may have to tie a few to get the amount correct.

Dub onto the tread and make it fairly tight.

With your thumb and index finger, slide the dubbing down the thread so it bunches up on the thread.

Once it is on top of the hook shank, make sure you hold it there with your fingers and make a complete wrap of thread around the hook shank. When you pull down on the thread, the dubbing ball should stay put right on top of the hook shank.

It will not be secure so you will need to make a few wraps to secure it better. I wrap in front and behind as well as use some X wraps.

Just make sure you do not compress the dubbing ball down too much.

Now you can start to dub the thorax area. Do not use too much dubbing here as it will cover up the dubbing ball. You just need enough to cover things up.

Your fly should look like this now, once you tie it off.