(Published Utah Fishing & Outdoors, December, 1991)

Dear Editor: Just a few observations about Tom Nokes’ excellent article in the Fly Tyez’s Corner of the Nov. 1 issue on tying the serendipity fly.

The serendipity was developed by Madison River guide Ross A. Merigold, who also gave us the RAM caddis fly. Ross died while fishing his beloved Madison on Sept. 7, 1989. There is a bronze plaque set in a large rock on the north side of the Madison just upstream from Reynold’s Pass bridge honoring Ross.

Craig Mathews and John Juracek, owners of the famous Blue Ribbon Flies shop in West Yellowstone, state categorically that “the serendipity is the most effective wet pattern we have ever fished." They also say that the serendipity ‘ probably serves double duty as both a caddis pupa and midge pupa. I unwisely ignored the serendipity for a couple of years until last summer

when I finally gave it a serious try. It out fished all my other favorite nymph patterns by a wide margin.

A couple of typing tips, in addition to Tom’s directions, may be helpful. Keep the body very slender. After tying-in the body material, twist the material tightly before wrapping it on to give the body a segmented look. I usually fish with a tandem set-up, dead drift with a little lead on the leader.

Don Calaway
St. George