Fly Tying Inventory
Flashback Emerger
John Barr's Flashback Emerger adds a strand of Krystal Flash over the wingcase of his classic Emerger pattern, imitating the natural gas bubble and translucent wing casing of an emerging mayfly. Designed in 1975 after a frustrating PMD hatch in Montana, it has proven itself on selective trout in spring creeks and tailwaters across the West. Available in BWO and PMD color variants.
🪶 Ready to tie this?
This pattern needs 7 materials. Sign up free to check which ones you already own.
Materials
Tiemco 2488, sizes 16-24
Gray 30 Denier Semperfli Nano Silk or similar
Brown rooster hackle fibers
Gray-olive hare's mask dubbing (or olive-brown Superfine for BWO)
Muskrat gray hare's mask dubbing (or gray beaver dubbing)
Wood duck flank feather fibers (black & white mottled)
Krystal Flash — pearl or Herring Back
How to Tie the Flashback Emerger
- 1
Step 1
Place the hook in the vise and start thread, wrapping a smooth base to the bend.
- 2
Step 2
Tie in several brown hackle fibers as the tail/trailing shuck at the bend.
- 3
Step 3
Dub and wrap the abdomen with gray-olive or olive-brown dubbing to about two-thirds of the shank.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in a single strand of Krystal Flash on top for the flashback wingcase, extending back to the tail.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a small bunch of wood duck feather fibers for the emerging wing at the front of the abdomen.
- 6
Step 6
Dub and form the thorax with muskrat gray dubbing, building it slightly wider than the abdomen.
- 7
Step 7
Fold the wood duck wing fibers forward and split to either side for legs. Pull the Krystal Flash flashback forward over the top of the thorax and tie off.
The flash on top imitates the gas bubble trapped under the wing case during emergence.
- 8
Step 8
Whip finish and trim materials to length. Apply head cement.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhc4HqxHy_s
Credit: John Barr