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Umpqua's Vis-A-Dun, Barr's - PMD (3-Pack)
The Vis-A-Dun dry fly by John Barr, available from Umpqua, is an essential tool for any fly angler targeting mayfly hatches. Designed with practicality and effectiveness in mind, the Vis-A-Dun features a white poly wing that allows the angler to easily track and monitor the fly while fishing. The fly is also tied with the hackle clipped under the hook shank, which helps the fish get a good look at the body, a critical element in attracting picky trout.
Barr's philosophy in designing the Vis-A-Dun is that the color of the wing and tail is irrelevant to the fish, but the size and color of the body is crucial. He believes that the fish are looking up at the underside of the insect, making the vertically positioned wing only vaguely visible, if at all. With this in mind, Barr designed the Vis-A-Dun with a natural dun-colored body that closely matches the color of the hatching mayfly.
The Vis-A-Dun is versatile and can be fished in a variety of techniques to trigger takes from trout. Barr recommends pairing it with a Barr Emerger dropper that matches the hatching mayfly. Dead drifting the combo is the first technique he employs, followed by adding a couple of twitches just before the flies get to the fish. If there is still no response, Barr suggests swinging the flies into the rising trout and stopping the drift so that the emerger rises up as it gets to the fish. Barr's approach is designed to give heavily pressured fish ample time to scrutinize the surface pattern before refusing or taking it, making the sunk emerger a more attractive option.