Usual Emerger
by Steve May - May 01, 1997

If you ever get the chance to ask our commercial fly tyer Steve May what dry fly he ties the most of – he is going to reply the Usual Emerger by far! This can’t be because of its exquisite looks or perfect match the hatch features. Both Steve and I along with the rest of the troutfitter guides believe it is because of the flies performance!

This is our go to fly for mayfly hatches here on the Grand River tailwater fishery. It is easy to tie! Matching the right colour of the mayfly dun with appropriate micro fine dry dub is easy and making the exact size replica of the natural is also simple. 

Now add the natural water shedding oils that are in the snowshoes rabbits feet (imagine the short life expectancy of a hare trying to escape capture if snow stuck to his feet). So, this very same life saving for the rabbit natural water repelling wing material now brings you the high floating performance you desire in all your dry flies. 

This buoyant pattern performs even after a super soaking of a long fish fight. Yes, after landing a fish, checking your tippet and knot strengths, cast this fly back on the water and watch it float towards  another hopeful willing mouth.

If you add a drop of Troutsman Dry fly juice this pattern goes right back to perfect first cast performance ever time!!

Usual Emerger Steps

Tying thread on hook
Place hook in the vice and attach the thread. Leave the thread end untrimmed and hanging off the back of the hook. NOTE: Don’t trim the thread at this step; it will be used for the rib on your fly.

Tying in wing
2. Cut a clump of snowshoe rabbit fur from the bottom of a rabbit foot. Clean the underfur out with a bodkin. Tie in the rabbit fur so that the tapered ends point forward over the hook eye. The tie in point should be about two hook eye widths back from the hook eye. The wing should extend about 1 1/2 hook gaps from the tie in point. Note: Rabbit foot makes an excellent material to float a fly. Bind down the trimmed rabbit hair butts with several wraps of thread to make a neatly tapered body.

Making tapered body
Trim and thin out butts off rabbit clump then bind down the trimmed rabbit hair butts with several wraps of thread to make a neatly tapered body. Note: Rabbit foot makes an excellent material to float a fly.

Wrapping tapered body
Now bind down the trimmed rabbit hair butts with several wraps of thread to make a neatly tapered body.

Dub the body
Start the dubbing process with the thread at the tail end of the fly. Affix dub to thread - make sure it is a very thin dubbing strand(wispy as we call it. wrap you tapered body of fly up to the point just behind the wing. NOTE: Use just enough dubbing to cover the body. Most mayflies have a very slim profile.

Segmenting the body
Counter wrap the thread to form a rib. Tie off and trim the thread rib. NOTE: The thread segmented body makes for a more attractive fly.

Proping up the wing
Dub in front of the wing to prop it up and form the thorax of the fly. NOTE: Make sure you spread the wing for better floatation.

Tying off
Tie off and trim thread and even up the wing if required NOTE: Try this pattern in a variety of sizes and colors to match your local insects. The dubbing is used to prop up the wing and to create the thorax.

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