Survey Fly (Cheesman Emerger)
The Survey Fly — also called the Cheesman Emerger after the park section of Colorado's South Platte — is a minimalist pattern that imitates the exact moment a BWO or midge pupa is hanging vertically in the film. Fish it on a dead drift just sub-surface during active hatches when fish are refusing dries and other subsurface patterns. The tiny trailing shuck and slim profile match the exact silhouette of an emerging insect.
- Type
- emerger (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #18–24
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- advanced
- Best seasons
- spring, fall, winter
Materials
- hook: Curved emerger hook #18–24
- thread: Gray 12/0
- tail: Sparse Antron yarn, trailing shuck
- body: Gray or olive Superfine dubbing, very slim
- wing: Tiny CDC or white Antron wisp
- thorax: Gray or olive dubbing, small ball
Tying steps
- Mount a size 18–24 curved emerger hook; start gray 12/0 thread.
- Tie in a tiny clump of Antron yarn as a trailing shuck at the bend.
- Dub an extremely slim body of gray or olive dubbing to the 3/4 mark.
- Tie in a tiny wisp of CDC or white Antron as a wing stub at the 3/4 mark.
- Dub a tiny thorax bubble ahead of the wing.
- Whip finish; apply the thinnest possible UV resin drop to hold the wing position.
- Apply the lightest possible coat of UV resin to the thread head to hold the wing position permanently.
- Inspect the CDC or Antron wing stub — it should stand upright and trap a tiny air bubble when viewed underwater.
- View the trailing Antron shuck from the side — it should hang below the hook bend, not ride above the shank line; re-tie lower if needed.