Fly Tying Inventory
Snowshoe Emerger
The Simple Snowshoe Emerger is a minimalist yet deadly pattern that uses naturally buoyant snowshoe rabbit foot hair for the wing. The wing keeps the fly visible while the body rides low in the surface film, perfectly imitating a struggling emergent. Quick to tie even in small sizes, it's a go-to pattern during difficult BWO and midge hatches when trout are selectively feeding on emergers.
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Materials
Dai-Riki 125, Tiemco 2487, or similar emerger hook, sizes 14-24
Olive, black, or white 6/0 or 8/0 (UNI-Thread or Danville 140 denier)
4 pheasant tail fibers or brown Z-Lon/Antron
Olive or natural hare's fur dubbing, snowshoe hare underfur, or fine dry fly dubbing
Clump of snowshoe rabbit foot hair (natural)
Spiky hare's mask fur or dubbing, contrasting shade for bugginess
How to Tie the Snowshoe Emerger
- 1
Step 1
Attach thread behind the hook eye and lay a thread base down the shank to just before the bend.
- 2
Step 2
Select 4-6 pheasant tail fibers or a pinch of Z-Lon/Antron. Tie them in at the bend with the tail about hook-gap length.
- 3
Step 3
If using pheasant tail fibers, wrap them forward to form a slender body and tie off at the one-third point behind the eye. If dubbing, dub a slim tapered body to the same point.
- 4
Step 4
Cut a small clump of snowshoe rabbit foot hair from the pad. Clean out the underfur (save it for thorax dubbing).
- 5
Step 5
Lay the tips forward, just slightly past the hook eye. Tie down the butt ends at the one-third point, securing so the wing points forward and slightly upward.
The best snowshoe hair comes from the pad near the toes — dense, buoyant, and slightly crinkly.
- 6
Step 6
Dub a small, buggy thorax with hare's mask or snowshoe underfur behind and around the base of the wing.
- 7
Step 7
Whip finish just behind the hook eye.
Only apply floatant to the snowshoe wing, not the body — this keeps the wing afloat while the body rides low, imitating the emerging insect.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5yrUzF1UAU
Credit: Traditional / Various