Soft Hackle Mayfly Emerger
This Orvis-featured pattern bridges the gap between a nymph and a dry fly, designed to hang just beneath the surface film where a mayfly is pulling free of its shuck. The speckled hen back wing case and rabbit or possum thorax give it a realistic, slightly buggy appearance that fools even the most selective spring creek fish. The soft hackle fibers represent the partially emerged legs and wing buds of the struggling insect. Fish it on a light tippet with no indicator, upstream dead-drift in flat water.
- Type
- emerger (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #12–18
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Standard dry fly hook #12–18
- thread: Olive or brown 8/0
- tail: Pheasant tail fibers
- body: Pheasant tail fibers wound forward
- ribbing: Fine copper wire
- thorax: Rabbit or possum dubbing in olive or gray
Tying steps
- Mount a dry fly hook and start thread at the bend; tie in 4–6 pheasant tail fibers as a short tail.
- Wind a fine copper wire rib along with the pheasant tail fibers from the bend.
- Wind 4–6 pheasant tail fibers forward in touching turns to the 2/3 point; counter-rib with the copper wire and tie off.
- Dub a slightly rough thorax of rabbit or possum dubbing in olive or gray from the abdomen to just behind the eye.
- Select a small speckled hen back feather; tie in by the tip and wind 1–2 turns as a soft hackle collar.
- Sweep the fibers rearward with thread wraps, build a neat head, whip finish, and cement.