This emerger fly pattern has been very effective for me when I have been fishing for trout with my fly rod.  It is not a true dry fly nor is it a true nymph pattern but falls under the emerger  category.  it represents a caddis or a mayfly which has made it way to the surface and is trying to break free of it's nymphal shuck (outer skin) and hoping to emerge into an insect with wings which can fly away from the stream so that it can reproduce.

It floats low in the surface of the water.  This way the hook bend and abdomen are below the surface and the white fluffy part is on top of the surface and is quite visible even in whitewater situations (surprisingly).


Here we begin by placing a size #12 or 14 dry fly - regular length, hook in the vice.  take whatever colour thread you wish (black, brown, olive, etc...) and wrap the shank with it from the hook eye to the bend.


Next we take a piece of polypropylene yarn and untwist the strands (usually four).  Cut one strand off at about 1"long (2 cm).


Tie the strand of yarn on top of the hook shank at the bend and tie forwards till about just over half the length of the hook shank.


Now take some contrasting coloured dry fly dubbing (antron) and dub your tying thread.  this will represent the thorax of the emerging fly.  This part will be fluffy and will help support the fly in the water.  The end you just created with thread will be submerged below the surface.


Wrap the dubbed thread around the hook shank.  Not too tightly.  This area needs to stay fluffy so it traps air bubbles.


Now fold down the front end of the yarn and tie it down at the head with a few wraps, but NO knots yet!  Now take your bodkin (needle) and place it under the yarn which lays over the dubbed area you just created and slowly push upwards with your bodkin to create a yarn bridge (if you would like to call it).  This bridge of yarn is actually a representation of wings trying to unfold and free themselves of the nymphal shuck.  It is important as this will also trap air which helps to keep this fly afloat.


Now simply take your scissors and cut the tail and the front piece of yarn.  Leave some to help attract the fish as well as helping in flotation.  Last step is to take some velcro and fuzz the yarn at the front of the fly.  To help it sit a little more properly you can apply Sally Hansons hard as nails to the thread abdomen (which protects the threads from being ripped by the trouts teeth), this also adds a tiny bit of weight to get this end down.  When applying a floatant on the stream just apply it to the top of the fly (thorax, "yarn bridge", fuzz in front).

This fly has been really good to me by helping to entice some nice brown trout on Ontario's Grand River.



Here are a few different colour combinations.


Top two flies have been used many times and have caught many fish, thats why they look so ragged compared to the others.

Peace
Nevin