Tried-and-True Emerger Patterns

I’m reloading the fly boxes with some tried-and-true patterns.

Among them are the flashback WD-40 and the Caddis Emerger.

I these days make the former in sizes 16 to 20. You can go down to size 32, but I don’t torture myself with that anymore! I add a strip of Krystal Flash and cover the wing case with Loon UV Finish Thin. I use the more sturdy Coq de Leon feather fibers rather than wood duck. I also nearly always tie them with olive-brown thread to match both March Browns and BWOs. I haven’t found different take rates when I vary the thread colors.

The Caddis Emerger is a size 18, usually. I no longer use ice dub, but, instead, use squirrel for a more subdued body. Partridge feathers are amazingly beautiful, and they’re fun to work with.

An ol' reliable. Small WD-40 flashback. #euronymphing #flyfishing #flytying

A post shared by BlogFlyFishMA (@blogflyfishma) on

Another standby. A small Caddis Emerger. #flytying #flyfishing #euronymphing

A post shared by BlogFlyFishMA (@blogflyfishma) on

298 views

3 thoughts on “Tried-and-True Emerger Patterns

  1. Nice patterns. Looks like you create a bubble sheath on the caddis. What do you use for the sheath? Also it looks like you use a larger hook for the size 18. Is that for better hooking?

    1. I used white poly yarn. I've used Antron, Z-lon, and white wool in the past. The material doesn't seem to matter, although the white poly will encourage the fly to float if you fish it solo, and to flutter up if you pair with a heavy nymph.

      The hook is a DF3 #18. It has a longer shank.

      More details in the link in the post, which leads to a recipe and a video.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *