Drake Magazine Online

Bastian's Floating Caddis Emerger variation



A few minor tweaks to a cool fly. God, it feels good to get back to some foam.

hook - Dai Riki 280 #14
thread - MFC 8/0 brown
shuck/feelers - Congo Hair white
rib - Krystal Flash pearl
abdomen - Zelon dubbing hydropsyche
overbody - 2mm foam tan
indicator - Parapost hot orange
legs - partridge
head - Haretron chocolate


mash barb, start thread at 2/3 mark; tie in CH (don't trim), wrap back to bend and trim shuck (shank length)




tie in foam strip (gap width), taper end; brush on a little Super Glue and cover with thread wraps








tie in KF rib




dub thread, dub abdomen






counterwrap rib; tie off/trim




divide CH, wrap back on either side






pull foam over top; tie down, trim, cover with thread








tie in indicator



prep feather, tie in by tip; wrap








unwind twist in thread, split with bodkin; insert dubbing, spin (not shown), moisten and wrap head, half hitch x 2, SHHAN










trim indicator and feelers








first try was with conventional dubbed head; I prefer the shaggier split-thread version

PT Halo Emerger (variation)



A few minor changes to Gary LaFontaine's version. I'm guessing he used the packing foam for the wing because that's all that was available at the time. I used that stuff here, but next time I'll go with craft foam (no folding required); 1mm should be good for #16's and smaller. Also subbed orange polypro for the deer hair indicator. Tied here as a pmd; change colors/size to suit your needs.


hook - Dai Riki 320 #16
thread - Danville 6/0 pale yellow
tag - Krsytal Flash rootbeer
shuck - Congo Hair - brown/olive
rib - x-small wire copper
abdomen - pheasant tail
wing buds - packing foam
thorax - rabbit pale yellow
indicator - Parapost hot orange


mash barb, start thread; tie in KF and wrap to bend




wrap KF down the bend and back; tie off/trim




tie in shuck; trim (gap width past bend)






tie in rib and pt; wrap pt to 2/3 mark, tie off/trim








counterwrap rib, helicopter end, cover with thread




cut a strip of foam, about 1/2 gap width; tie in on top of hook








fold over one side, tie down; adjust length with bodkin (about 1/3 shank length), trim




repeat on the other side






dub thorax (x-wraps between wing buds)






tie in indicator; take a few wraps in front to set angle up over hook eye, half hitch x 2, SHHAN






trim indicator to length (about 3/4 shank in front)

Foam Split-back Nymph



You can churn out a bunch of these in a hurry. Tied here as a baetis; change colors to suit your needs.

hook - Dai Riki 135 #18
thread - UTC 70 woodduck
rib - x-small wire gold
abdomen - tying thread
tail/legs - mallard dyed woodduck
wing case - 1mm foam grey/Krystal Flash UV pearl
thorax - dubbing olive/muskrat mix


mash barb, start thread; tie in rib and wrap back to bend




measure some mallard (gap width); tie in, wrap body to point above point






counterwrap rib; helicopter end, cover with thread






tie in KF and foam strip






dub thorax






pull foam/KF over thorax






sweep legs (divided) back; tie off, trim foam/KF, half hitch x 2, SHHAN






trim legs even with thorax/hook point






same fly with packing foam wingcase

sexy and simple Scott.

Ruby's Caddis Emerger



An odd-looking duck, Quigly-like back end. Change colors to suit your needs.

hook - Dai Riki 135 #14
thread - MFC 8/0 sand
tail/shuck - Congo Hair cream/ostrich herl tips
abdomen - ostrich herl
thorax - dubbing ginger
wing - deer hair
hackle - barred cream (undersize by 1)


mash barb, start thread; tie in CH, wrap back to bend and trim (shank length)




even tips on a few herls; tie in even with shuck






wrap herl around thread, wrap abdomen up to point; tie off/trim






dub thorax up to 2/3 mark






clean, stack, measure (tips even with bend) a clump of deer hair; tie in, trim, cover butts with thread






tie in hackle




wrap, tie off, trim, half hitch x 2, SHHAN

Bread Line Emerger



Variation on Harrop's Hair Wing Dun; this one's a true hare wing (snowshoe's great stuff to use in the smaller sizes where good, fine deer hair that flares properly can be tough to find). Tied here as a pmd; change colors to suit your needs.

hook - Dai Riki 320 #16
thread - Gudebrod 10/0 light olive
shuck - Congo Hair brown
abdomen - biot dyed pmd
hackle - light ginger
wing - snowshoe rabbit's foot
head - dubbing pmd


mash barb, start thread, tie in shuck and wrap back to bend; trim to length (shank)






moisten biot, tie in (notch down here, for ribbed effect), wrap to 2/3 mark; tie off/trim






tie in hackle, wrap, tie off/trim






trim out hackle on top for wing




trim tips on a clump of snowshoe foot underfur, measure (even with barb); tie in






trim wing butts, dub head




half hitch x 2, SHHAN, trim out hackle underneath (could have done this when topside hackle was trimmed, if I had remembered)








A bit more emerger than dry - curved shank hook (DR 135), wing a bit shorter and laying down, cream hen hackle (tied in after the wing).

Marts' Big Eye JK



Waiting for the shipment of chartreuse, hot orange and fluoro pink bead chain eyes, so I tied this one in basic silver.

hook - Dai Riki 899 #6
thread - UTC 140 hot orange
eyes - bead chain lg silver
abdomen - mylar silver
thorax/head - Wapsi sow/scud dubbing rainbow
legs - Centipede legs barred black/white
hackle - grizzly


mash barb, start thread; tie in eyes (brush with Super Glue)




tie in tinsel, wrap to bend and back; tie off/trim






create loop, insert dubbing, spin, trim, wrap










tie in 2 pairs of legs






tie in a webby hackle, sweep fibers back and wrap; tie off/trim






add a bit more dubbing




wrap behind, between, in front of eyes; whip finish, SHHAN, trim legs

Yeah I'd fish the shit of that for steelhead.

Forney's P.O.P. Emerger



P.O.P. - Pheasant, Ostrich, Peacock; legs are partridge, but for some reason that "P" is left off. Ostrich makes a neat Hackle-Stacker wing case.

hook - Dai Riki 135 #14
thread - Gudebrod 10/0 black
shuck/tail - pheasant tail/Congo Hair white
rib - x-small wire copper
abdomen - pheasant tail
legs - partridge
wing case - ostrich herl (Hackle-Stacker style)
thorax - peacock herl


mash barb, start thread; tie in rib and wrap back to bend




tie in shuck, trim (gap width); tie in pt






wrap abdomen to hook point; tie off/trim




counterwrap rib; helicopter end






tie in a loop of thread (grey Monocord used here); if you have a parachute/gallows tool, use that to hold the thread perpendicular to the hook; I just looped the bobbin over my tying light (worked great)




strip fibers off the end of an ostrich herl; tie it in leaving bare quill equal to thorax length






wrap bare quill up the thread




wrap herl back down; tie off/trim




prep partridge; tie in/pull legs to proper length






tie in some peacock; twist around thread and wrap thorax, tie off/trim








pull wingcase over the top; tie off/trim




half hitch x 2, SHHAN








Bead Belly Hare's Ear Emerger




similar idea to the P.O.P. with a few different materials and some added weight


hook - Dai Riki 135 #12
thread - MFC 8/0 brown
shuck/tail - Congo Hair tan
rib - Krystal Flash UV pearl
abdomen - hare's ear dubbing
legs - hen back
wing case - ostrich herl (Hackle-Stacker style)
bead - 1/8 brass gold
thorax - dark hare's ear

The Gimp



Did not know that Tarantino was a flyfisherman. Weighted underbody is optional.

hook - Dai Riki 060 #12
thread - Danville 6/0 black
tail - hen hackle fibers dun
body - hare's ear dubbing
wing - pheasant aftershafts
hackle - hen dun

mash barb, start thread one eye width back from eye, wrap back to bend




strip some hackle fibers, measure (shank); tie in/trim butts






dub thread/dub body up to tie-in






prep 2 aftershaft feathers; measure (halfway back on tail), tie in one on top of the other, trim butts








prep hen hackle, tie in by tip; sweep back while wrapping








tie off/trim, whip finish, SHHAN

brownsville wrote:

ScottP wrote:I have a present from yurp for you Scott, drop me an address

One week later





Thanks Mike.

you're welcome Scott, stick 'em in a fish

tied inside out though?