Pardón de Meana
ORIGIN
The dressing concept to tie this pattern was born in 1990. Its originator, Luis Meana, developed a variant of the classical pattern named "pardón", which imitates the "Rhithrogena" genus, being named by anglers after its brownish shades. The fly showed its huge efficiency and the dressing way was extended to tie other imitations of natural insects, such as those of families Baetidae, Ephemeridae, Heptagenia, pertaining to the "Ephemeropterae" order.
As long those flies were named with the general term of "pardónes" (followed by the main colour or specie imitated, let say olive pardón, reddish pardón or pardón ignita as examples), the term "Pardón de Meana" was adopted for this pattern, which it should be considered as a dressing way instead the specific imitation of a natural.
The first purpose was to achieve a pattern that, letting aside size differences, would be a suitable imitation for both natural bugs, the "pardón" itself, as well the "Baethis Rhodani". After continuous observation, the dresser concluded that body silhouette and wind relief, could be the main references trout used to identify their quarry.
EVOLUTION
Earlier patterns where tied to imitate either, the dun or spinner stage of these flies, with a nymph like body shape, in fact spinner's body closely follows nymph's body shape. Thorax and abdomen are clearly suggested. Fly size was set at the middle point between naturals' sizes, above mentioned.
To dress wings, Luis Meana, made, and still making, use of high quality well knew kidney sides feathers of Gallo de León (Cock of Leon), which became the most important stuff used in this way of dressing flies.
Luis Meana, originator and tier of the "Pardón de Meana" series, and as many other Spanish fly tiers, considers such feathers are the most effective around the world for the art of fly tying, mainly because its stiffness translucency and brightness.
Later, he followed this tying way to imitate other species of the "Ephemera" family. The fly was tested in rivers (he uses to spend some 500 to 600 hours per year, fishing the Spanish rivers), to evaluate how the fly behave in the surface film, and what was trout answer.
Eleven years later and after many improvements made, not only in materials but in the methods of dressing too, we have at our reach one of, maybe, the best and most effective imitations, from the fly fishing history, for "Ephemeropterae" naturals in both stages dun or spinner, whatever the genus or specie desired.
FEATURES
The main trait of this fly is the material used to build the wings. We refer of Cock of León kidney cover feathers, well know around the world by their resilience and brightness, which is its success key. Feathers used must be first grade quality (something difficult of achieving because the great demand and the scarce offer) otherwise efficiency would be greatly shortened.
Other traits are the precise wings slope, their shape figured as a half cone, position of tails made in synthetic fibres, characteristics of hackle and many other facts, make this pattern quite difficult to dress (a perfectly dressed fly should have an exact amount of fibres not only in the wing, but also in the hackle), with increasing problems as the fly size goes down.
Each silk turn has a purpose for a satisfactory fly finishing. Such facts make the difference between a correctly tied pattern against others correctly mounted, but not exact. A fly with slight deficiencies from the original, would fish only in favourable conditions, while a perfectly mounted would be infallible near in whatever situation. This pattern is not only efficient, but has the added advantage of visibility in difficult conditions as well.
A fly hard to be see in fishing action, is useless. In those situations where the water flow runs fast and the surface reflects sun light, this pattern still distinguished perfectly, as it would be a natural fly.
WHY PARDÓN DE MEANA?
As it has been said, the "Pardón de Meana Original" imitates both, the natural named "pardón" and the "Baetis Rhodani". This is an essential pattern that any angler should carry, mainly in the early season, when trout need restore strength, after winter rigors and spawn.It is then, when insects are scarce and trout expect for "pardón" and "rhodanis" hatches, that use to happen in the middle of the day, in the warmer hours.
If the angler gets this advantage and casts the correct fly, trout would rise consistently. This pattern is unbelievable efficient, sometimes is enough a ride in the vicinity of a trout to trigger a rise, also when presentation is not correct, also when the fly floats among naturals.
Something hard to accept with a relatively big pattern (it is mounted in a #14 size hook). The efficiency of patterns tied in smaller hooks, see "ignitas", "fuscatus", "muticus", etc, increases dramatically, and mainly in difficult conditions. Professional fly tiers use to overlook patterns that are expensive or difficult to mount, hence such models are difficult to find in shops.
These reasons and the demand that some fly fishers make for this pattern, encouraged Luis Meana to bring us such models in their different versions.Time expended to tie them is by far longer than to this tie other models. Care, patience and meticulous work are a must for the efficiency of such dressings. Hence, the price is high, but it could be said that no so high keeping in mind its efficiency and dressing complexities.
The guarantee for the paramount efficiency of the "Pardón de Meana" will be showed by the fly itself in our fishing outings.
HANDLING
Fly balance is the main target we shall keep in mind when we ride a "pardón" in the surface water. When we overlook this statement the fly will be incorrectly presented. A 6 hours fishing day, with a rate of 60% presentations made correctly, yields only some more than 3 hours of effective fishing, as long trout recognize our fraud.
The "Pardón de Meana" has been designed to fish the full 100% times it is cast, hence, results will be rewarding. A correctly mounted fly with a correctly position of the wing, would allow a nice landing and a faultless ride.
The tails of the Pardón de Meana has been treated with special treatment floatant. Is important to grease and to open them periodically while we fish. You can use any solid silicon grease or solicit our special product (Cortland Dab) in your habitual fishing shop or in our website.
Warning! Do not use gel floatant on the PME series. The CDC material could lose the floating properties.
Warning! Do not allow the GDL fibbers from bending. Use special fly box with most bottom as our special fly box available in our website. You can get free our special fly box ordering the offer of 100 flies.
The PMEbd series has been tied with a light blue dun CDC hackle, to see the fly better in difficult light situations. The reference is the same but adding "bd" (blue dun). Example: PME16OLbd