This is a generic emerger pattern tied on Dai-Riki 135 hook. The pattern was tied to imitate an emerger on stillwaters before I really considered Callibaetis, Chironomids or Caddis. I liked the idea of an emerger and gave little thought beyond that…I would cast it out into the film and work it back in the upper strata. This is an example of incrementally learning bits and pieces. The bits work but we don’t know the total picture of why. The pattern worked and that was enough. I recall using it mostly in the last half hour of light, casting into that yellow light on the surface…toward the setting sun. I crave that time..dark behind you, fading light to the front…porpoising fish here and there…some breath takingly big backed. Anyway, I digressed…into that euphoric recollection of the perfect moments.
The pattern is tied on the 135, the thread is dark colored and size 8/0 to 14/0 (thin) for the smaller patterns (6/0 if you haven’t got the tension thing down); the body is a dubbed blend of hare ear and antron (dubbed by twisting dubbing onto thread and wrapping); the under wing is a smallish clump of Ice Dub Tan UV tied in, then Partridge feather fibers tied in on each side of the thorax area, then two pheasant tail fibers tied on top of thorax and trailing back over the length of the under wing; then take one to two ostrich feathers (depending upon size of hook). Finish thread head. Of course, you can mix and match the body, thorax/under wing colors.
So, over the years I have noticed small dark caddis coming off at last light and caddis with long antenna and chironomids and even the rare Hex depending upon the lake. The pattern takes fish even when I have no clue what the busy fish take it for…no matter. Chuck it to the vicinity of the last rises and immediately work it back toward you and pause..I would not add the bead head…go lighter and keep it up by the action. Simple, effective and a combination of all those components we think of using in a hundred different ways.
SwittersB & Exploring 