Fly Tying Inventory
Mayfly Dubbing Emerger
Curtis Fry arrived at this one by stripping a Barr Emerger down to hook, bead, thread and dubbing, dropping the legs, wing case and tail with no loss in results. Cheech gave it the plain name Dubbing Emerger. It suits BWOs, PMDs and other mayflies, and Fry usually goes one hook size under the natural with the smallest bead that fits. Most often he hangs it as a dropper below an adult mayfly pattern, even at the height of a hatch, and it also fishes as a nymph. Tied here on a size 16 hook.
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Materials
Wapsi Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing, brown olive, for the abdomen
Brown Olive
Wapsi Super Fine Dry Fly Dubbing, Adams gray
Adams Gray
How to Tie the Mayfly Dubbing Emerger
- 1
Step 1
Slide the bead onto the hook and set the hook in the vise.
- 2
Step 2
Start the thread behind the bead and wrap back around the bend.
- 3
Step 3
Apply a thin noodle of brown olive dubbing to the thread.
Use one color if you prefer, but two contrasting shades work well when imitating an emerger.
- 4
Step 4
Wrap the abdomen forward from the bend in a slim, even taper. Stop short of the bead.
- 5
Step 5
Apply a little Adams gray dubbing and wrap a short thorax up to the bead.
- 6
Step 6
Whip finish behind the bead and cut the thread.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrdMKxViCWA
Credit: Curtis Fry / Fly Fish Food