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Member Comments:

The Fly was described in Flies, Ties, & Techniques: A Practical Guide To Tying 50
Irresistible Flies by Charles Jardine (ISBN-10: 0-7641-3906-1) which I recommend for fly
tying ideas.

Glen Gammill

Serendipity, from Gil Padovani

 

Thread: Black
Body: Floss (Olive, Green, Red, Tan)
Ribbing: Gold wire
Wing: White bucktail cut to center of body

Member's comments:

I first learned about a Serendipity in 1993 while floating the Madison River in Montana.
There was no action on top, so our guide rigged us up with a bead head Hare's ear and
a Serendipity as a "Montana style" dropper.

Basically, this rig consists of a 9 foot leader, a strike indicator near the top of the
leader, the bead head nymph, a 14 to 16 inch length of tippet tied at the bend of the
nymph's hook and the Serendipity. If the situation permits, one or two split shots may
be added a foot or so in front of the bead head nymph.         

This rig is best fished by casting it upstream and letting it free float downstream until it
stops. Leave it there for a few seconds and then cast upstream again. A fish may strike
at it anytime: while it's free floating, (keep an eye on the strike indicator), during the
turn or while it is stopped. When the fish strikes, ninety percent of the hits will be on
the Serendipity.

Rather that having a collared deer hair head cut short, I modified the fly to include a
short white bucktail wing. I've had good success with this fly and rig throughout the
Northeast. It works equally well for landlocked salmon, brookies, browns and rainbows.

Gil Padovani

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